


Matters of the Soul: Darker Path

by Meian_of_Yin_Yang



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underswap, Angst, Fanchildren, M/M, Sad babus, Sadness, So much death!, Sorry! So very sorry!, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, Underswap Papyrus, Underswap Sans, fanchild
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-12 17:11:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7114885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meian_of_Yin_Yang/pseuds/Meian_of_Yin_Yang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically a "what if" story of Error's thoughts at the beginning of chapter 6. I HAD NO INTENTION OF WRITING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE! But then my beta reader went and did this badass picture and my creative(and partially sadistic) mind decided that I should write a story based on it. So yeah. Go blame her for this while I hide from your wrath! *poofs away*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of the End

Error lay on the ground while staring up at the stars of Outertale that shined above him. That had been too close for comfort. He had barely had enough magic and strength to open a portal beneath him and fall through it to escape Ink, G, and Underswap!Papyrus while they had been busy talking. Of course, he had passed out immediately afterwards, but he had gotten away nonetheless. The black skeleton smirked at his accomplishment and pushed himself up into a sitting position, groaning as his joints popped. Suddenly, he heard the sound of crying and felt his soul tug in response to the sound.  
  
He got to his feet and looked around as he tried to find the source of it. A few feet away, Error spotted a small bundle lying in the grass. As he walked over, he glanced around to see if there might be someone lying in wait like this was some kind of trap, but there was no one. Looking down at the bundle he saw that it was a tiny newborn skeleton and, without even thinking about it, the older monster leaned down and gently scooped up the infant into his hands. It's crying grew quieter as Error held it close to him to get a better look. Immediately he somehow recognized the baby as his and Swaps's and he felt tears trickle down his cheeks as he smiled.  
  
`"H-Heh heh. L-L-Look at y-you. Yo-You're per-per-perfect. Wow..."` Then it dawned on him. Where was Swap? Error looked around and didn't see any sign of the blueberry skeleton except for a note. He crouched down and picked it up, then read it carefully.  
  
_Please take care of my son, Hex._  
  
The paper was shoved into his pocket as his eye sockets began to glitch. Error should have known this might happen and it looks like he had been right to assume as such. Hex began to cry again as if sensing his father's building rage. Hearing his son's cries, the black skeleton forced himself to calm down and held him close to his chest.  
  
` "D-D-Don't worry, He-Hex. D-D-D-Daddy's here n-now. I'll take goo-good ca-ca-care of you, I-I-I promise."` He said.  


* * *

  
**` _E L E V E N  Y E A R S  L A T E R . . ._ ` **

 

  
"Come on, Dad, please!?" Hex begged, looking at his father with big puppy eyes. Error sighed.  
  
`"F-F-Fine. I'll let y-y-you go t-t-t-to an AU of you-you-your choice, al-al-alone. But I ex-expect you to b-be back h-h-h-here in an ho-hour. And d-d-d-don't let yourself g-g-get caught b-b-by another Sa-Sa-Sans. Got it?"` The younger skeleton let out a whoop and jumped around as he cheered.  
  
"Thanks, Dad! You're the best!" He shouted and gave him a hug, then ran off so he could open up a portal. Hex created a window and browsed through the different AUs. A lot of them he had already been to with his dad and he wanted to see a new one that they hadn't been to yet. The skeleton stopped when he found one and smiled, but it faltered when he got this strange feeling in his soul. He shrugged it off, figuring it was because he was a little nervous, and stepped through. Immediately, he was surrounded by the new environment and he found himself standing on top of a mountain ridge that over-looked a city.  
  
"Oh, wow! This is so cool!" Hex gasped as he realized what he was seeing.  
  
"This must be the surface world! Awesome! This universe must've finally gotten their pacifist ending! I wonder which AU this is." The skeleton said to no one, then decided to go down and explore the city as he had never seen the surface world before. Running and teleporting down the mountain, he soon reached the edge of the city and slowed down. Stars appeared in his eyes as he looked at the massive buildings that loomed above. There were so many strange things to see, smell, and hear that it was almost overwhelming, but it didn't bother him too much as he just stared at everything. Just as he was about to walk out of the trees, he heard voices and remembered his dad's warning. He quickly hid behind some trees and peered out to see who the voices belonged to, then felt a strange ache in his soul.  
  
It was a family of skeletons, just like him. The two adults looked almost identical except for their clothes and a couple facial features, but he recognized them as Sanses and wondered why there were two of them in the same universe. One of them wore a red t-shirt and black pants while the other wore a blue shirt, blue jeans, and a blue bandanna around his neck. The one with the red shirt was holding one of the skeletal children's hand, a girl, he assumed, wearing a magenta dress and headband. An identical looking girl, wearing a pink dress that looked a little more frilly and a large bow on the back of her skull, was holding the blue Sans's hand while he held a baby skeleton with the other. Hex's gaze was drawn to the skeleton clad in blue and felt a small tug coming from his soul.  
  
He stood there and stared as they walked past him, all of them smiling and laughing. Without thinking, he ran out of his hiding spot and brought himself to their attention as he said a single word.  
  
"Mom?" They stopped and turned around to face him. Hex saw recognition flash through the eyes of the two Sanses as they stared at him in shock.  
  
"H...Hex?" He started to move towards them, but stopped when he nearly ran into some bones. The girl in the magenta dress was glaring at him as magic flowed from her eyes and around her outstretched hand.  
  
"Mommy isn't yours! Mommy is our mommy!" She said and he was forced to take a couple steps back as she made the bones move closer to him. He easily knocked them aside and sneered.  
  
"You wanna fight, girlie? Cause you'll lose if you try." Just as he was about to summon his strings, the baby skeleton started to cry. The red Sans held his hand out towards the infant.  
  
"Swap, let me take him for a bit." But the blue one shook his head as he gave him a nervous smile.  
  
"I-it's alright, Fell. I got him. Shh. Shh. It's okay, Onyx. It's okay sweetie. There's nothing to be afraid of. Go back to sleep." Hex could feel something inside of him begin to churn violently as he watched his mom comfort the baby. The girl kept glaring at him while her sister hid behind Swap.  
  
"Go away and leave us alone!" She said as she launched some more bones at him. He knocked them out of the air, then summoned his strings, grabbed onto her soul, and lifted her into the air as his body began to glitch.  
  
"Sasha!" The other girl shouted while Fell glared at him.  
  
"Let go of my daughter you bastard." He snarled, his left eye starting to glow red. Suddenly a beam of light shot over their heads and burned the strings that held onto Sasha. Fell ran forward and caught her, asking if she was alright as Hex turned around to see who had broken his strings and saw a tall skeleton wearing an orange hoodie loom over him. Their right eye blazed with orange magic as they glared at him.  
  
"I'd recognize that ability, those strange marks, glitching, and bone colors anywhere. You're Error's child, aren't you?" They asked.  
  
"Yeah, so what?" He saw them look over him at the family and frown.  
  
"Go back to the anti-void. My bro doesn't need you around to remind him of things he wants to forget." The words echoed in his head until he could hear anything thing else, even his own shouting as he attacked the orange-clad skeleton and grabbed his soul with the strings.  
  
"Papyrus!" Swap shouted and Onyx cried even louder, the frightened whimpers from the girls adding to the noise. Hex's body glitched even more as his anger grew.  
  
"Doesn't....need me....? Heh...heheh.... Hahahahahahahaa!" He looked at Papyrus with a malicious smile.  
  
"Then I guess he doesn't need you either." His sockets grew wide and opened his mouth just as Hex crushed his soul. Screams and cries echoed around him as he watched the remains fall to the ground and felt his LV go up once again. Hex looked over his shoulder at the skeletons behind him. The girls clinging to Swap as he pulled them closer to him, his eyes wide with fear, anger, and guilt while Fell stood protectively in front of them with a Blaster floating behind him.  
  
"Get out." He snarled. The young skeleton glared back as he scowled.  
  
"Gladly. There's nothing but disgusting abominations here anyway." Hex said as he opened up a portal to the anti-void and jumped through.  


* * *

  
`"H-H-Hex!? He-Hex!?"` Error shouted as he looked for his son. He had felt a portal opening a few minutes ago and Hex's presence, but didn't see him anywhere. Eventually, the black skeleton found him with his "zoo."  
  
`"Th-Th-There you are. I've b-b-been looking a-a-all over for y-y-you. So, h-h-how did it-"`  
  
"I met Mom." Error's eyes went glitchy as his body stiffened.  
  
`"Wh-Wha-"`  
  
"He replaced me...us...with a new family. Heheh. You should have seen the look on his face when I killed that world's Papyrus right in front of him." Hex chuckled darkly as he played with a very small Frisk.  
  
"And those girls.... God! I want to kill that one girl so badly! The nerves she had...telling me that he wasn't my mom." The black skeleton's body began to glitch as he smiled.  
  
`"Hex....h-h-how'd you li-li-like to ma-make h-h-him pay fo-for what h-he's done?"` He looked up at him and grinned.  
  
"Sounds like fun."  


* * *

  
Swap sat on the couch, rocking Onyx to sleep as Sarah and Sasha drew in their coloring books on the floor. He jumped to his feet when the front door slammed open and Fell stumbled into the house, his skull cracked and breathing heavily.  
  
"Fell! What in Toriel's name happened!?" The blue-eyed skeleton said as he rushed over to his husband.  
  
"Daddy!" Sarah cried as she ran over with her sister behind her.  
  
"We don't have much time. I barely got away from them, though I think they let me go on purpose." Fell said.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Error and Hex. They...they killed all the Sanses that are stronger than me, e-except for Classic. Even Ink was dusted! And they...they...those bastards destroyed my world! Everyone! I couldn't...I couldn't save Papyrus." Swap fell to his knees and closed his eyes.  
  
"This is all my fault.... I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said and felt his daughters grab onto him, opening his eyes to see them crying.  
  
"M-mommy? What's happening? D-did something happen t-to Uncle Edge?" Sarah asked, her body shaking with fear. The blue-eyed skeleton opened his mouth to say something when he heard shrieks coming from outside. Fell cursed and pushed himself to his feet.  
  
"We need to get out of here! We'll head for the mountain and take shelter in the underground." He said. Swap nodded and stood up. Onyx started to whimper, but otherwise stayed quiet as if he sensed how much danger they were in. They held onto one another as Swap teleported them up the mountain until they reached the entrance to the mountain and quickly ran inside, only slowing down when they reached the throne room before they came to a complete stop. Sarah started to cry and Sasha tried to calm her down as best she could, even though she was just as scared.  
  
"I-it'll be okay, Sarah. R-remember, C-Chara can just r-reset once they f-find out." The magenta-clad girl said, wiping her sister's tears.  
  
"No. Once Error starts destroying a universe, he makes sure it's permanent." Swap told them. They looked at him in horror and it made him feel guilty, but to say otherwise would be a lie and he didn't like lying, especially to his daughters.  
  
`"Th-Th-That's correct."` He spun around and saw Error and Hex walk into the throne room, both of them covered in dust and blood. Fell growled and summoned several Blasters.  
  
_**"Y O U D I R T Y B R O T H E R K I L L E R S ! ! !"**_ His eye blazed with blood red magic as the skulls powered up. Bones shot through the Gaster Blasters, shattering them, then strings shot out and wrapped around Fell's soul.  
  
"Daddy!" The girls screamed.  
  
"Swap! Take the kids and run! Go! I'll be fine." He said, forcing a smile on his face despite the pain he was in as his soul was slowly being crushed.  
  
"Fell..." Swap looked up at his husband with tears streaming down his cheeks.  
  
"I love you, Blueberry."  
  
` "You tw-tw-two ma-make me sick."` Error snarled and tightened the strings around Fell's soul, causing the skeleton to scream in pain, then shattered it.  
  
"NO!" Onyx started to cry and clung to his mom, grabbing the blue bandanna in his hand, as he was forced to listen to the screams of grief that came from his family. Hex grinned at them as he grabbed Sarah's soul and lifted her into the air. She struggled as she tried to free herself.  
  
"Ah ah ah. I wouldn't struggle if I were you. Actually, struggle all you want. It'll just be all the more enjoyable as I squeeze the life out of you." He said with a chuckle as he tightened the strings' grip, causing her to scream in pain.  
  
"Let her go!" Sasha shouted, running at him with a bone club in her hand.  
  
"Alrighty. Here. Catch!" Hex threw the pink-clad skeleton at her sister. She caught her and stumbled before falling onto the floor from the weight.  
  
"Sarah! Sarah, are you okay!?" Sasha cried as she held her twin in her arm. Sarah was barely moving and her soul was so badly cracked that a single touch would shatter it. Her eyes opened a little, but her sockets were devoid of any light.  
  
"S-Sa...sha...?"  
  
"It's okay, Sis. I'm right here."  
  
"I...feel strange...." Sasha's eyes widened and started to shake, barely noticing her mom run over to them.  
  
"Sarah, sweetie, it's gonna be okay. Mommy's here." Swap said as he reached his hand out to heal his daughter, but stopped when two bones suddenly protruded from his daughters' chest. His eyes grew dim as he watched his little girls crumble into dust before his very eyes. He heard Hex and Error laughing behind him.  
  
`"So Bl-Bl-Blue, how d-d-d-does it f-f-feel to be the only o-o-one left? Having to wa-wa-watch your l-l-l-l-loved ones d-d-die right in fr-fr-fr-front of you?"` The black skeleton asked him as he approached. Before he got within reach, Swap spun around and attacked Error with a relentless barrage of blue and orange bones, then sprung to his feet and ran. He didn't get very far before blue strings tangled his legs and pulled him to the ground, causing him to drop Onyx. Hex smirked as he watched his dad slowly break Swap's body before finally crushing his soul, then looked over at where the infant lay. Onyx was curled up among the golden flowers, wailing loudly as he clutched his mother's bandanna in his hands. He looked up at the other two skeletons with fear in his large yellow eyes.  
  
Error grinned as he began to grab the toddler's soul, but then stopped. An image of when he found Hex flashed through his mind and he pulled his strings back, then walked over to Onyx.  
  
"Dad? What are you doing!?" But the black skeleton didn't reply as he picked up the baby and walked back over to him. He handed Onyx over to Hex.  
  
`"He re-re-reminded m-m-me of when I-I-I found y-y-you as a b-b-baby. Yo-You'll be ta-ta-ta-taking care of your bro-brother."`  
  
"What!? Are you crazy!? I don't want anything that has to do with Mom anymore!" Hex shouted, his body starting to glitch from his anger, but then stopped when he felt his half-brother cling to him. Onyx could sense a trace of his mom's magic in the shorter skeleton and instinctively grabbed onto him, letting out a small whine as he pulled the bandanna closer. He sighed and looked away.  
  
"Fine. I'll take care of him. Hey, brat. What's your name?" The yellow-eyed skeleton looked up at him and blinked.  
  
"O...n...y...x. On...nyx. Onyx" Hex blinked, realizing that his brother must be only a few months old if he's having to say his own name like that. Then he pointed up at him.  
  
"Name?"  
  
"My name?" Onyx nodded.  
  
"It's Hex." The little boy smiled.  
  
"H...e...x. He...x. Hex." He felt his cheeks grow warm when he heard him say his next word.  
  
"Br...oth...er. Brother." His mouth twitched up into a smile.  
  
"That's right. I'm your big brother. I'll take good care of you, I promise."


	2. Reset?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dark....
> 
> Darker....
> 
>  
> 
> Yet darker....
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ........
> 
> What do you two think?

The last thing you remember is screaming.

Monsters and humans, screaming as they struggled to escape their innevitable demise at the hands of the strange black skeleton, and the smaller one that stayed near them.

Then you were suddenly pulled out of your world, just as the two skeletons noticed you, and into a dark empty void.

At first you saw nothing, then a pale round face emerged from the darkness.

You recognized the face.

It belonged to the monster from the grey room behind the grey door you sometimes found.

 

_"Beware of the man who speaks in hands."_

 

 You remembered that the monster spoke in a language you didn't understand, but that they could also speak in sign language.

 

* Thank you for saving me.

* Where are we?

 

_* The Void._

_* We are not alone though._

_* There is someone here to see and speak with you._

_* You may recognize them, but they are not the same person that you know._

 

You looked around and saw a familiar looking skeleton, but they didn't look like the short round one that you knew.

This one looked more like the other one.

The taller one that was always smoking and often drank bottles of honey.

This skeleton wore a blue hoodie, black shorts, and pink slippers.

 

* Who are you?

 

*** The name isn't important.**

*** But what is important right now is your ability.**

*** I need you to reset.**

*** It's the only way to save your friends and family.**

*** We can help you keep from resetting completely, but only to your last save point.**

*** Do you understand?**

 

Your eyes widened at what the skeleton had asked of you, but you did want to save the others.

So you agreed.

You were determined to save your friends.

Bones appeared around you and a second later...

Your soul shattered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_**RESET?** _ _****_ ****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone wanted a sequel.
> 
> You got it.
> 
> Plus two more.
> 
> Yup.
> 
> TWO!
> 
> But those will come later.
> 
> Peace!


	3. How It Could Have Ended...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Underswap was reset to before Papyrus's death. Meaning Hex's visit never happened. At least, to the residents anyway. But Swap and Fell both remember it happening quite clearly. Especially Swap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DID NOT WRITE THIS CHAPTER! My beta-reader, Miiv12, on DeviantArt wrote it cause she was inspired by the one-shot that I wrote and then she made this one-shot which I then asked for permission to add to my one-shot which now it is becoming a mini "What If" series.
> 
> Please note that this is NOT canon to the actual Matters of the Soul series.
> 
> Also, better grab some tissues. Cause this is a real tear-jerker.

The prison,which was usually perfectly silent aside for the sound of the guards moving around,  
and the occasional murmurs from the prisoners,  
was now filled with none stop screaming and the sound of banging.  
The source of the ruckus was a small skeleton,no older than 11 years old.  
The said skeleton was hitting a transparent wall,even if his hands were really starting to hurt,  
two of his fingers were broken and the palm was slightly cracked.  
The wall was strengthened with countless barriers of magic,if one of them was broken,it would simply  
fix itself in a matter of seconds,making escape near impossible.  
Unfortunetly,this cell wasn't as sound proof as the others,so the child's screaming was heard loud and clear all around the prison.  
"LET ME OUT!I WANT MY DAD!DAD?!ARE YOU THERE?!"  
No one answered.  
It was like they were ignoring him.  
He hated,being ignored.  
The boy kept this on for who knows how long,and only stopped when he was unable to lift his hands anymore,  
when his legs could no longer keep him standing and he collapsed to the floor.  
His voice had turned raspy,and it hurt to even open his mouth.  
The child curled up on the floor of his cell,every bone in his body started shaking.  
Not from cold,the prison was kept at a mild tempature,so it wasn't too hot or cold.  
No,the boy was shaking from pure,unforgiving fear.  
Those..those stupid glitches had taken him from his dad,and taken the older skeleton to who knows where!  
It was one of the scariest things Hex had seen in his short life,seeing the angry,yet somehow calm skeleton take down his dad  
in mere 10 minutes,it was something that still made him shiver when he thought about it.  
His dad was so strong!How did that lazy idiot manage to beat him?  
Because he was there..  
The battle had actually been quite even at first,and for a second the little family of two were sure  
the intruder would be taken care of.  
But that didn't happen,instead the intruder decided to play dirty.  
Weren't "good guys" supposed to play by the rules?  
Hex had been too focused on the battle to notice a large Gaster Blaster sneak up behind him,  
and when he did notice it was far too late.  
  
  
The intruder,"Classic" he was called apperently,  
had stopped attacking and instead stood far away from his dad.  
"This is your last chance Error,surrender or else."  
Error chuckled and glared at Classic.  
"Or else what?We're even now "boss",you're in my home zone,  
there's no way you could win."  
Classic frowned and his eye lit up with magic once again.  
"So be it.Error,give up or else."  
And just like that Classic had teleported behind Error,  
the glitched skeleton turned,only to gasp in horror as his eyes widened at the sight before him.  
Next to Classic,the giant Blaster was holding Hex in it's teeth,the energy blast was already charging inside it's mouth,  
ready to shoot at command.  
"Or else your son dies."  
There was a moment of silence,before the strings around the anti-void vanished and Error lifted his arms up.  
"..You win."He growled as he glared at Classic  
Classic nodded and a few portals opened up,some more skeletons came through and grabbed Error,soon he was  
detained,completely powerless to do much of anything.  
Classic used his magic to hold him down as the others let go of him.  
"I'll take care of Error,you take the kid to the insulation cell."  
Classic instructed the blaster and a few other skeletons.  
The scariest thing that day,was when Hex realized they were taking his dad in the opposite direction.  
He called out to him,but no matter how hard he tried to get back to him they wouldn't let him.  
He was unable to use his magic,as they had placed the restriction collars on him and his dad after  
they had the latter detained.  
His dad was reaching towards him,and threatening them not to hurt him,  
but soon they lost sight of each other,and Hex found himself inside the small cell,  
on the highest floor of the prison,there was only one cell,and pretty much nothing else in the room  
that the said cell was in.  
There was no one there,except him.  
And this too,scared him.  
Hex had never liked being by himself for too long,as a small child it made him feel lonely  
and even at times unwanted,and as he grew older those feelings just grew and transformed into something stronger.  
The longest he had ever been away from his dad was an hour,and every second more made him feel  
anxious,scared to the point where he wanted to start crying.  
Sure,his LOVE was higher than most adult Sanses,he might have enjoyed killing and destroying anything he saw fit,  
he was a sadistic,cruel,and unforgiving.  
But he was still,just a kid.  
A kid,raised by a single parent in a world that didn't want them,  
that despised them and wanted them dead.  
Just because of how they were.  
Sure,people might say they were evil,demons with no sense of emotions other than hate,  
creatures with no empathy for other living beings..but that wasn't true in the slightest.  
Hex was a living proof,that Error was indeed capable of emotions such as love,compassion and affection,  
the boy wouldn't be alive other wise,heck,he wouldn't have been born if it wasn't for his dad  
feeling affectionate towards..Swap.  
  
His dad couldn't help it that he hated AU's and everything within them,  
it was just how he had always been,from the day he was created.  
And yet,everyone blamed him for it.  
What was Hex's excuse?He was raised by the guy!  
Again,it was true that Error killed and destroyed pretty much for a living,  
but he had been lonely,and everyone was too scared of him,or hated him too much to give him a chance to be anything else  
than the demon they said he was.  
Except for..Swap.  
Error didn't like talking about him,but those few times Hex had asked about his mother,  
the black skeleton told him of the good times they had shared.  
Swap was truly,the first person who had given him a chance to be something else,something better..  
And then he threw it away like it was nothing!  
Hex knew that he wasn't born out of his parents love for each other,but more of his father's attempt to  
make sure Swap wouldn't be lonely..and what did Swap do when Error confessed his feelings to him?  
He rejected him.  
As if that wasn't bad enough,the traitor had the guts to fall for another,  
and have a..a family with him.  
  
What Hex had never understood as a small child,was why his mom didn't live with him and his dad,  
or why he had never seen him for that matter.  
He had asked his dad once but..when he didn't answer Hex tried again,and continued whining about it  
until Error couldn't just take it anymore.  
It was one of the few times his dad lost his temper with him.  
Error's anger was something that one wouldn't wish on their worst enemy,  
and it sure wasn't something a small 4 year old was supposed to witness.  
Hex had burst into tears and ran out of the anti-void,scared of his dad for the first time in his life.  
  
He had ran into some random AU and hid in the Snowdin forest,it took a while for his dad to find him  
and take him back home,the adult kept apologizing to him over and over,until Hex stopped crying completely  
and fell asleep in his dad's ribcage,he had always liked sleeping in there,it was the safest place he could imagine.  
It always made him feel warm,protected and loved with his dad's soul pulsing next to him,  
even now when he didn't fit in there quite as well,he would still curl up  
into a small ball and take sleep there whenever he felt like it.  
But now..those feelings of safety were gone.  
Error was his only parent,and aside from his pets,the only company he had,  
the only person he truly trusted..and now he was nowhere to be seen or heard.  
As much as Hex didn't like to admit it,he depended on his dad,maybe a bit too much..  
  
  
  
The door to the highest level room opened,Hex was laying with his back facing it so he didn't see who came in.  
There was a sigh and some footsteps,they seemed to stop right in front of his cell.  
Who ever had come in stared at him,as if waiting for him to turn around to face them.  
"..This would be a lot easier if we could talk face to face kid."  
It was him,Classic.  
Hex decided to ignore him,a reaction was what he wanted,so he wasn't going to give it to him.  
Another sigh.  
"Kid,i just wanna talk,can you at least let me know you didn't pass out from all the screaming you did earlier?"  
Hex kept still for a moment,his bones were aching and even the slightes movement made them hurt even more.  
But he managed to lift his skull a bit,to show Classic that he was indeed,still awake.  
"Okay,good.  
I was worried for a second there,anyways,do you know why you're here?"  
No response.  
"Fine,you're here cause you and Error killed about 10 AU's,with most of them being  
main AU's..do you understand what you did?"  
For a moment Hex didn't want to respond,but gave him a small nod.  
"Then tell me,what did you do?"  
Silence.  
"I know you can still talk,you were muttering to yourself before i came in."  
Oh?He had been doing that again..damn it.  
"Killed a bunch of people and AU's."  
He answered.  
"Yeah,you killed a lot of people and AU's,why?"  
Hex huffed a bit at the question.  
"Answer me."  
Silence.  
"..If you don't want to talk then i'll just go."  
Classic stood and got ready to leave,when Hex spoke up again.  
"Don't go..i'll talk with you if you tell me where dad is.."  
Classic nodded and sat back down.  
"We killed for revenge.."  
Classic nodded.  
"..Because Swap left you two and had a family with someone else?"  
Hex kept quiet for a minute,a bit taken back by the fact that Classic knew that.  
"Yeah.."  
"Kid,revenge is not the way to go,trust me,i know.  
You could have moved on.  
I admit that what Swap did when you were a baby was..not something i approve of.  
But he did what he thought was for the best..you know kid,i actually had a talk with him  
after your..first meeting with him."  
This made Hex swift a bit,this was definetly something he wanted to hear.  
Classic made sure he was ready before he started talking.  
  
"He called me a few hours after the incident.  
And explained how he had left you in OuterTale after giving birth to you..  
He actually left you there,because he hoped Error would find you.  
Opening a portal to the anti-void isn't something a lot of monsters can do,  
so leaving you in OuterTale was the second best option he had.  
  
He cared about you kid,even if you don't see it like that,  
he told me he couldn't help but smile when he got to hold you  
for the first time..and then he cried when he rememberd he had to leave you behind..  
You wanna know the reason he abandoned you?  
Ink,he wanted revenge just like you did,and look where it got him?  
Swap was afraid Ink would try to hurt you,and since he was so much weaker compared to Ink,  
he decided it was better to get you to the one person that could,and would keep you safe.."  
  
The room fell silent after that.  
Hex laid still,but his mind was racing faster than ever.  
Was..was he lying?But why would he lie about something like that?  
To make him feel bad maybe?..But no matter how much he told himself that  
Classic was lying,he just couldn't help but feel like the older skeleton was telling the truth.  
After a while,Classic stood up again and headed for the door.  
"Hey,wait a minute!"Hex shouted and sat up,he flinched from the pain but managed to keep  
himself upright.  
"You said you'd tell me where dad is if i talked!So tell me!"  
Classic stood frozen at the door,his hand was reaching for the door handle,  
Hex stared at him as he finally looked at him over his shoulder.  
"He's not here,now i've got to go so.."  
"Where is he then!?Did you lock him up?!Why did you separate us?!"  
"Kid,really i've got to.."  
"How long have we been here?!I want to see him!Now!"  
"Kid,we had an accident an.."  
Classic stopped himself in the middle of the sentance,Hex stared at him with wide eyes for a moment.  
"..What accident?"  
Classic tried to turn away,but found his legs wouldn't listen.  
"What happened?Is dad okay?!"  
The older monster stared at the ground,then looked back at the boy inside the cell.  
Hex looked back,and saw things in the older skeletons eyes that he didn't like.  
Guilt,sadness,and..was that,shame?  
Classic sighed sadly and turned to face him completely.  
"Kid..you've been in here for about 5 days now.  
When i was taking Error to the lowest floor,to the special cells,similar to the one you're in..  
You started screaming and it made him anxious.  
As the screaming got louder i noticed he was trying to break free to get to you,  
and when you started calling out to him..he lost it.  
  
He managed to free himself from my magic and ran as fast as he could to the higher levels.  
I called the guards,but he just pushed them aside.  
They had to use magic to restrain him but..  
one of them shot bones to block his path.  
But instead,the bones went right through his soul."  
  
Hex gasped and slowly shook his head,not believing the older monster for a second.  
"Liar!Dad's better than that!He would have dodged."  
Classic looked at him staright in the eyes.  
"His magic was restrained,he wasn't able to teleport,and there wasn't room to dodge  
so many bones at once..  
I'm sorry kid,but i'm not lying."  
Hex continued shaking his head,covering the spots on his skull where his ears would be.  
"LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!LIAR!"  
He screamed over and over again and clenched his eyes shut.  
Classic walked over and tapped on the wall,trying to get his attention.  
"Kid..i'm not lying..here."  
Hex looked up,and felt his whole world come crashing down when he saw what the other skeleton was holding.  
A familiar black hoodie..  
Classic opened a portal by his legs and one above the cell,  
he dropped the hoodie through the portal so it fell inside the cell and next to the child.  
"I'm sorry,but there was really nothing i could do.."  
The boy stared down at the hoodie,frozen in place as if the time had been stopped.  
"..Kid?"  
"Get.out."  
Classic was taken back by the sudden change in the boy's tone,  
it sounded darker and deeper.  
"Kid,i just want.."  
"GET.OUT!"  
Classic had to take a step back when he felt a wave of magic hit him,  
a few of the magic shields broke,but soon repaired themselves again.  
"GET OUT!YOU...YOU..You..stupid,glitch.."  
Classic stood by for only a second before turning and walking over to the door,  
he peeked in before closing the door,and saw a small child,curl up around the only thing he  
had left of his only family,crying.  
He had started muttering to himself again,and Classic felt his soul twist as the silent words  
leaving the boy's mouth..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dad...daddy..daddy..don't leave me..i..i can't..daddy..come back.  
i'll be a good boy..i promise..just don't leave me..i want my daddy..  
..don't leave like mommy..wh..what did i do?..i'll never do it again..  
daddy...i don't wanna be alone....  
  
Please..i....i..i just want my daddy..."


	4. How It Should Not Have Ended...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate ending for the end of Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by Miiv12 on DeviantArt

(THIS CHAPTER IS AN ALTERNATE ENDING THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER CHAPTER 3.)  
  
  
The guard walked through the seemingly endless halls of Limbo,a high pile of trays floated behind her.  
She'd been tasked with the job of serving the prisoners their lunch for the day,  
which was probably the most simple job you could get as a guard.  
Easy,but slow and monotonous as well.  
She wiped her forehead once she was finally done,she turned around to get to the break room...until she realized there was one  
more tray left.  
She raised an eyebrow,wondering if she'd missed someone,until she realized she'd forgotten about their youngest prisoner..  
Up in the isolation cell.  
She groaned and headed towards the stairs,the truth was,she really didn't like this particular prisoner.  
Not that she liked any of the other prisoners either,this one was just...special.  
The kid was,simply put,insane.  
She,along with most other guards wished the cell was sound proof,so they wouldn't have to listen to that creepy cackle  
that he did randomly every,god damn day.  
Not to mention the fact that he talked to himself,that wasn't new,pretty much every prisoner in Limbo did that,but she could have sworn he mostly did it just to spite them.  
Seriously,she was really starting to get tired of listening to his voice..oh great,he's at it again she thought as she got closer to the cell and could make out the familiar voice,the thing that made it even more annoying was the fact that he could switch his voice and copy anyone else's,his favorites being her and a few other guards,as well as Classic,though the latter was always more like a horrible parody of the real thing.  
The guard paused when the voice suddenly stopped,she looked up towards the door at the top of the stairs,  
wondering why he'd stopped.  
She picked up her pace slightly,once she reached the top of the stairs,she took her key and unlocked the door.  
The tray of food fell to the floor when her eyes grew wide and she gasped in shock.  
The prisoner was laying on the floor,clawing at the floor as he twitched and tried desperately to breath.  
Tears fell down his cheeks as he looked towards her,his eyes were wide in fear as he stared at her,pleading for help.  
"Shit!"She cursed as she ran over,quickly using her remote to bring down the barrier that surrounded his cell and ran inside,  
kneeling down next to the kid,  
Before she could do anything,he stopped moving,his pupils vanished and he stared up at her with empty eye sockets..  
She shook the boy,trying to get him to respond.  
"This is bad,i gotta get th..!"  
Before she could finish or stand up,the kid suddenly sat up and headbutted her.  
She cried out in pain and fell to the floor,holding her head as she grimaced.  
The guard cried out again when her armor's chest piece was torn off and her soul was grabbed.  
She looked up when she heard chuckling,the kid was staring down at her,grinning like mad while holding her soul in a tight grip,making her squirm and try to scream again,but he covered her mouth with his free hand.  
" **How easy it is,to trick you idiots.  
It's no fun when there's no challenge** ~"  
Her soul was crushed under the hand's pressure and her body turned to dust in seconds.  
Hex watched as the little shattered soul pieces fell from his palm and down onto the floor with a faint 'cling' like sound.  
The young skeleton looked through the dust and pieces of armor on the floor until he found what he was looking for.  
He picked up a small black remote and pointed it at the collar around his neck and pressed the green button.  
The red light on his collar turned green and he took it off,stretching his neck bones as he pressed another button and  
the magical shields around his cell vanished into thin air.  
The boy smiled and threw the collar to the wall,it shattered on impact on the pieces flew around the room.  
He let out a satisfied sigh when he stretched his shoulders and the bones clicked into place as he stood up as straight as he could,but his spine was crooked from spending so much time in the fetal position.  
" **That's a lot better,now...** "  
He lifted his arms into the air,countless blue strings shot out of his hands and fingers,  
moving all around the room like snakes.  
Hex chuckled darkly and walked towards the door as the strings continued coming and moving all around him.  
" **C'mon boys,let's go make daddy proud~** "  
  
  
"...How long has he been in Limbo?"  
Classic looked over his shoulder at Swap when he heard the question.  
" _Two years,the exact same time that's passed in UnderSwap,time doesn't exist in Limbo,but the people inside it age according to the au that they were born in.._ "  
The younger skeleton nodded and followed Classic through the portal he'd opened,his eyes widened and he gasped in horror when they stepped into the prison.  
There was dust everywhere,pieces of armor laid on the ground,the cells had been opened and many of the prisoners were running around freely,but even Swap could see that plenty of them were missing.  
"W-What's going on?"The blue eyed skeleton asked and looked up at Classic,but the older skeleton looked just as shocked as him.  
"...I don't know."He replied,then lit up his left eye and caught the prisoners that were running around in his magic.  
" _What happened?_ "The prisoners looked over at him,most falling silent,though one spoke up.  
"You'd think the oh so great and wise Classic would recognize a jailbreak when he sees one~"  
Classic didn't comment and remained calm as he looked at the others.  
" _Who started it_?"  
Another prisoner shrugged.  
"Some kid,never seen him before,came out of nowhere and started killing the guards and letting us out of our cells."  
"...Hex?"Swap whispered,hoping it hadn't been him...  
"Oh yeah!That guy."Another prisoner commented.  
" _Where is he now?_ "Classic asked them.  
"Dunno,said he had stuff to do and left,though he came back later and left that for you."  
Classic raised an eyebrow and looked in the direction the prisoner was pointing at,  
Swap did the same and covered his mouth as he gasped in horror at the sight before him.  
On the huge bare wall were dozens of pieces of clothing,most of them hoodies covered with dust,blue strings tied them to the wall.  
Classic's pupils vanished from his sockets as he recognized more and more of them,he could tell which one had belonged to whom.  
So many of his little brothers...gone,and he had done nothing..  
Swap stared up at the clothes,tears forming in his sockets as the realization that **his** **son** had done all this sunk in..  
" _Swap,go to UnderSwap and tell Fell what's going on,take the kids and go hide in the Underground,  
i'll tell dad to place it under lockdown._ "  
The younger skeleton looked at Classic and hesitated for a moment before nodding and leaving.  
  
  
  
  
Days,weeks,months passed,and nothing.  
Not even a trace of the kid...  
Classic and a few other Sanses had managed to gather all the other prisoners.  
Swap and his family had done as commanded and hidden in the Underground,  
the children were not happy with the arrangement,but they didn't have much choice on the matter.  
Fell had grown paranoid,he knew Hex was after them,but why he hadn't shown up yet confused even him.  
Then,it happened.  
It wasn't the Sanses that were going missing,it was the human.  
Frisk,Chara,or any other counterpart with the same soul had just vanished without a trace.  
Classic eventually lost count of them,without the human,their au would slowly start falling apart,  
it was just like when Error would destroy them.  
The black skeleton had two ways of killing an au,he would either let the Anti-void consume the world,  
or he would steal the human's soul and take it with him,and just watch as the universe slowly destroyed itself.  
Classic could only guess that Hex was using the latter method as a sort of sick tribute to his deceased father.  
He sighed as he stepped into the Alpha timeline,then frowned when he didn't see anyone there.  
The skeleton started walking and looking around,but still didn't see anyone.  
Some of the Sanses who had managed to survive the end of their worlds had moved to the Alpha timeline  
for the time being,many were broken and still mourning,Classic had asked B to keep an eye on them,  
just in case anyone tried to...end their suffering.  
His left eye suddenly turned blue as he teleported,once he appeared again,  
he saw familiar blue strings on the spot where he'd been just a moment ago.  
Classic turned and saw a familiar young skeleton standing about ten feet away from him,  
the boy's spine was slightly crooked,the black hoodie he wore was easily too big for him,the hood covered his face,  
but Classic could see he was smiling.  
The strings shot towards him again and Classic dodged them,summoned a blaster and had it shoot at Hex,who teleported out of the way before the blast hit him.  
Classic felt the urge to just attack the kid,avenge his brothers deaths...but he knew something was off.  
A battle theme started playing and he felt a slight shiver go down his spine at the distorted sound,but didn't let it show as he stood his ground and faced the younger skeleton.  
He quickly pulled up the kid'sstats and looked them over.  
  
**"Hex"  
  
LV.  +100  
OTHER STATS HIDDEN.  
  
DETERMINED.**  
  
For some reason Classic felt like the way the kid was looking at him seemed familiar,and not the good kind...  
_"Kid,listen.I know you miss your dad,but this isn't t..!"_ He didn't get to finish his sentence when Hex suddenly teleported in front of him and tried to grab him by the neck.  
_"..Fine,if you won't let me spare you i don't have a choice."_ Classic said before summoning his blasters as the fight began.  
It was a long fight,probably one of the longest ones Classic could remember,but eventually he'd managed to get the kid's HP low enough that it would only take one more hit for him to win.  
_"I'm sorry about this kid,i really am.."_ he said as his blaster flew beside him and charged it's blast,then shot the finishing blow at Hex.  
Classic watched as the younger skeleton fell to the ground,his soul shattered and the bones turned to dust,remaining on the ground since there was no wind to blow it away..  
He sighed sadly and looked down,wondering how he was going to break the news to Swap.  
_"Maybe it's better this way,at least he's with his dad..."_ he muttered.  
The white eyed skeleton looked up and lifted his hand to open a portal to UnderSwap.  
The sudden,faint yet familiar 'ping' like sound caught his attention and made him turn around.  
His eyes grew wide when he saw a soul floating above the pile of dust and clothes on the ground,  
it was bright red in color and glowed brightly.  
_"No...it can't be.."_ Realization struck him and he tried to open a portal to get away,but the area around him had already turned to the familiar black void.  
The one word he despised more than anything appeared above him...  
**'RESET.'**  
Before he could do anything,he suddenly appeared back in the exact same spot where he had been earlier,  
standing a few feet away from Hex again..  
_"...What did you do with the humans?"_ Classic asked,staring at the younger skeleton with empty sockets.  
**"Consumed their souls,all of them."** Hex replied as he summoned his soul forth,on close examination Classic could see that despite the soul being as red as any determined human's soul,it had a dark center and looked as far from healthy as possible,it was clear the DETERMINATION from the humans was the only thing keeping it together.  
_"Why?What do you gain from this?"_ The older skeleton asked,though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.  
**"Simple,who can stop me if i can just RESET everything whenever i wish?"** Hex said and put his soul back inside his rib cage before turning to face Classic fully.  
_"...You're doing a mistake kid,consuming that many human souls does nothing but harm."_ Classic told him.  
Hex huffed and shot a glare at him.  
**"Do you honestly think i care about that?You're more stupid than i thought."** A smirk formed on his face as he looked  
Classic in the eye.  
**"Maybe that's why you couldn't save any of those other idiots you call 'brothers'~"**  
The short skeleton teleported out of the way when three blasters charged at him and shot powerful blasts of magic at him.  
Classic clenched his fists,a few drops of sweat going down his skull.  
He'd tired himself out during the earlier fight,he wasn't sure if he could take another round..  
The white eyed skeleton looked back up,his eyes widened slightly when he didn't see Hex and turned around,trying to dodge...  
His eyes vanished when he felt something sharp cut right into his soul.  
Classic stood frozen for a moment before looking down,seeing a familiar,glowing red knife going through his rib cage and right into the middle of his soul.  
**"Just think about it this way."** He heard Hex say as the younger skeleton walked over,grabbed the handle of the knife and pushed it deeper in,before pulling it out completely as Classic fell to his knees,already feeling his bones starting to turn to dust.  
**"At least now you can go back to those 'brothers' of yours...except two,i'm not giving up Swap and Fell just yet."**  
Classic tried to summon his magic again,one attack,if he could just get one attack...  
**"Goodbye cheater."** were the last words he heard before everything went dark.  
  
  
Swap sighed tiredly as he leaned back on the couch,Onyx was sleeping next to him while the girls were sitting on his other side,  
watching their father as he paced around the room.  
"Fell please,you should get some rest.."Swap said as he looked at his mate,who shook his head.  


"I can't sleep Swap...why hasn't Classic come back yet?Or at least called?"he muttered,a few drops of sweat falling down his skull.  


"I don't know,but i'm sure he'll be back soon,we just have to be patient."The blue eyed skeleton said,though he had a bad feeling that something had happened...  
He looked down when he felt Sarah lean against him and look up at him with a worried expression.  
The older skeleton sighed and tried to smile as he wrapped an arm around his daughters.  
"It's okay girls,Classic will be back soon and we can go back home."he told them,knowing he shouldn't lie,especially to his children,but didn't want to worry them even more.  
They all looked up when the ground suddenly shook.  


"I-Is that an earthquake?!"Sasha asked as she looked up at her parents,Onyx woke up and instantly clung onto his mom.  


"...We have to get out,now!"Fell shouted and quickly went over to his family,opened a portal and tried to get them to go through,but they all cried out in panic when suddenly a huge stone fell from the mountain's ceiling and onto the house.  
Swap grabbed Fell's hand with one of his own and made sure he had a hold on all three children before teleporting outside.  
Fell pushed his mate a bit to get him to run,which he did,holding Onyx while the twins ran beside him.  
The red eyed skeleton ran a few feet behind the four as he looked around,trying to spot their attacker...  
The little family stopped when they were suddenly surrounded by hundreds of strings.  
Fell quickly got in front of his mate and children,narrowing his eyes as one of them glowed red with magic.  
"Swap,take the kids and get out of here now."He said as he turned to his mate,who shook his head.  


"Not without you,Fell please..."  
The larger skeleton opened his mouth to reply,but spun around when he heard another voice not too far from them.  
****

**"Good luck with that."** Hex said as he looked at them all,faint red glow coming from his eyes.  
Fell growled and stood in front of his mate and children,ready to protect them.  
Hex raised an eyebrow,then smirked.  
**"Come on then big boy~Show me whatcha got.  
Maybe i'll end you the same way i did with your brother."**  
Fell practically roared in rage as he summoned his magic and charged at the teenager,the mention of his now dead brother driving him over the edge and not pay attention to Swap's calls.  
Hex's smirk grew as he charged back towards Fell and summoned his knife before contact.  
It was hard to tell if either of the two had teleported,as they both now stood a few feet away from each other with their backs to the other.  
Swap had the girls go behind him as he looked towards his husband,growing worried when the enraged skeleton hadn't tried to attack again straight away.  
Fell's whole skull fell off of his shoulders and neck and onto the ground,soon followed by the rest of his body...  
Swap felt a scream form in his throat,but was far too shocked by what he saw to let it out.  
That didn't stop the kids though,who started crying,scared and most likely scarred for life by what they'd just witnessed.  
It was only when Fell's bones turned to dust that Swap started wailing as well.  
And the next thing he knew,Onyx was being ripped away from his arms,Sarah was crying her eyes out while the countless strings wrapped around her soul so tightly it made her scream,Sasha tried to help her siblings,but was quickly taken out as well.  
It all happened so fast he had no time to realize he'd been hit in the back of the skull and the pain made him lose consciousness...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hex put his hands in his hoodie pockets as he walked around the Anti-Void,there wasn't much else to do at the moment since he'd decided to take a break from torturing his little 'guests'.  
He was unusually quiet as he summoned his soul and held it in his hand,watching the red heart's strange,uneven beating.  
No matter how hard he tried,how much he'd tired himself and pushed the boundaries,he couldn't RESET far back enough.  
There was no way to bring his father back...  
He had known this from the start,but had still wanted to try.If somehow,by some miracle,he could just bring him back.  
But it was hopeless.  
So,he had to settle for the next best thing.  
Hex put his soul back inside his rib cage when he walked to the spot where his 'sisters' were.  
  
His strings held the two girls high up in the air,tight enough that they couldn't escape and were possibly painful,but not fatal.  
That would be far too easy,and he didn't want to RESET every single day just because they had died from being squashed to death.  
He kept the twins a little closer to each other than he did with the other three and would sometimes move them closer to each other,  
only to pull them away even farther apart than before.  
It was always worth it seeing Sasha's face when he did that,priceless.  
He chuckled as he continued walking.  
  
Hex then walked over to where Fell was,well,where his dust and clothes were currently. He'd killed the guy an hour ago for what must have been the hundredth time.  
He killed him more often than the other four,mostly because the red eyed skeleton actually tried to fight back,which just made it all the more fun,he was so pathetic.  
But he also did it because whenever he looked at the red eyed skeleton,he only thought about what things could have been like it Fell didn't exist.  
Without him,his mom would have possibly stayed with his dad,he would have never left the Anti-Void.  
Error would have been happy,all three of them could have been perfectly happy.  
But Swap had chosen Fell over his dad,and for that alone he deserved to suffer...  
Probably the funniest part was that,Fell actually thought he could save his family.It was both hilarious and annoying at the same time.  
**"Won't take long for you to learn..."** Hex muttered as he stepped on the dust,spotting a little speck of gold among it and narrowed his eyes,crushing it under his foot before moving forward and over to where Onyx was.  
  
He kept Onyx the closest to where his stuff was,mostly because he found he liked his company somewhat,until the kid's crying got too annoying for him and just made him angry.  
And boy,did that kid cry.  
He did it almost constantly,which wasn't really that surprising considering his age.  
Onyx just kept crying and calling for his parents and sisters as if they could actually do anything to help him.  
There were times when Hex considered letting Onyx go,he'd even thought about it before he'd put his plan in action and captured the little family,maybe he could even keep the boy around for company.  
After all,Onyx hadn't really done anything to him personally,and the faint memory of a young,barely toddler age Onyx looking up at him with those big,yellow eyes while calling him 'big brother' came to Hex's mind now and again,almost making him feel bad when he saw the young child crying...  
But then,he'd see the image of crying Onyx as a baby,with Swap holding him close and trying to calm him down.  
Choosing that weak,pathetic child over him...  
That always made Hex change his mind and see red whenever he looked at the little boy.  
  
Hex looked up,realizing he'd kept walking and had come to the spot where he kept Swap...  
The blue eyed skeleton had fallen unconscious earlier.Hex could make out thick,light blue lines going down the older skeleton's cheeks,  
making it very clear he'd been crying a lot.  
Whenever he saw Hex,Swap would try to talk to him,plead,beg,apologize,cry and try to get him to let them go.  
He'd say he would forgive him,,that he had to stop.  
That he was his son and he loved him still...  
The latter always only made him just more angry than anything else.  
Swap had no right to say he loved him,no right to claim he knew anything about him or his dad...  
He had had a chance,and he chose to abandon them.  
Swap would always tell him to let Fell and the kids go,he offered himself over,said Hex could do whatever he wished with him if he just  
let the other four go...  
Hex decided he would take that offer at some point,he would let Fell,Onyx,Sarah and Sasha go...for a while.  
Only to capture them again and bring them back and do something far worse than what he had already done,  
just so he could bring Swap's hopes up,then crush them.  
He stopped when he stood in front of the older monster and looked down at him,feeling a strange mix of emotions..  
The urge to kill came again,it had only grown stronger and stronger ever since he consumed the first Chara soul,  
and it felt like it was still only growing more..  
But there was something else there,buried deep under the seemingly endless hatred and blood lust.  
The young skeleton slowly sat down on the ground next to the older one and watched him,feeling a faint ache deep in his soul.  
After what felt like hours,he moved closer to Swap,laid down and curled up next to him,listening to the faint sound of the other's soul beating as he pressed his skull against his rib cage.  
A few tears formed in the corners of his eye sockets as he pressed himself as close to Swap as possible and closed his eyes,  
imagining his dad was on his other side,sleeping peacefully like everything was okay...  
But it wasn't.  
His dad was gone,never to come back.And he was alone.  
And **everyone** who played a part in his dad's death would suffer.  
The guard that killed him.  
Classic.  
Swap.  
...And Hex himself.  



	5. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better grab some tissues. Cause you're in for a feels fest.

Hex wasn't sure how long he had been trapped in his cell. Days? Weeks? Months? Years even? He couldn't tell. All he knew was that he'd been there for a long time. The young skeleton went still when he heard the door to the room open and footsteps as someone walked in.

 **"kid, i brought someone here to see you."** Came the familiar voice of Classic. Hex glanced over his shoulder at the older skeleton, then sat up.

"Who?" He asked, his voice raspy and quiet from lack of use. There was no answer as Classic turned around to face the door.

 **"you can come in."** A shorter skeleton, with blue eyes, walked into the room with an expression of mixed emotions on his face. The young skeleton immediately recognized who it was and felt his anger boil.

"Get the hell away from me!" Hex snarled, moving away from the two older skeletons. Swap closed his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath, then looked at him.

"Hex, please, ju-"

"No! Dad's dead because of you! It's your fault he's gone! I hate you! I hate! I hate you! It's your fault! Your fault! Your fault!" He screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks. The blue-eyed skeleton walked up to the barrier that separated them and sat down on his knees.

"I'm sorry." His eyes flew open at stared at him with a confused expression.

"Wh....what?" Swap closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I never meant for you to suffer like this. I just wanted to protect you. To keep you safe. I...I thought it would be best if you stayed with your father, since he was stronger than I am. Even though I didn't love him, I still cared about him as a friend.  
When Classic told me what had happened, I was devastated. Hex, even though you killed thousands of innocent monsters and people, you are still my son and I love you. I know there is good inside of you. Fell, Classic, and I had a discussion before I came to see you. Classic says that he is willing to let you out so you can come live with us, that way you won't be alone anymore. Hex, please, let me make it up to you. Let me do what I should have done instead of what I did.  
I want to be the mom you deserve to have." Hex stared at him, taking in what he said. Classic had told him that Swap had regretted abandoning him, having only done it so Ink couldn't kill the young skeleton, but to hear his mom say it himself.... His body began to shake and his breathing got faster. Fresh tears spilled from his eye sockets as he began to wail, curling on the floor. The older skeleton snapped his fingers and the barrier came down. Swap hurried over to his son and pulled him into his arms, gently rocking him as he rubbed his back and patted the back of his skull.

"It's alright sweetie. I'm here. Mommy's here. Shh. Shh." He clung to his mother tightly, burying his face in his shirt as he continued to cry. They stayed like that for several minutes, neither one letting go of the other. Eventually, Hex grew exhausted from crying so much and lay limp in Swap's arms, sniffling quietly. The blue-eyed skeleton adjusted his hold on him so his son's chin rested on his shoulder. He put his arms around his mom's neck and his legs around his waist.

"Shall we go home now?" Swap asked him, getting a small nod in response, then stood up and looked at Classic. The older skeleton nodded and had the guard open the door and take the restriction collar off of Hex. He opened a portal back to Underswap and waved goodbye as the two of them stepped through. They came out into the basement and Swap set Hex down on his feet.

"I've already talked to them about you, so they know that you're going to be living with us." The blue-eyed skeleton told his son. He gave a small nod, pulling the black hoodie tighter around him as he followed his mom up the stairs and out of the basement. Hex hid behind him as they walked out into the living room, peeking over at the four skeletons that were on or by the couch. Fell was sitting on the couch with Sasha while Sarah was on the floor playing with Onyx. The gold-toothed skeleton noticed them and nodded, then turned to the kids.

"Kids, your mom is back." He told them. They looked at him, then over at the other two skeletons. Sasha scooted closer to her dad, eyeing Hex warily. Sarah smiled and waved at him. Onyx's face lit up as he got to his feet and hurried over to them, arms out for a hug. Swap smiled and crouched down to meet his youngest, scooping him up into his arms.

"There's my little ray of sunshine." The toddler giggled as his mom nuzzled him, then looked at Hex and waved enthusiastically.

"Hi!" Hex glitched slightly, moving back behind Swap.

"Hex, it's alright. Come and say hi to your little brother, Onyx." He looked up at him with a nervous expression, then turned his gaze towards Onyx who was smiling with excitement.

"....h-hi......O-Onyx." The younger skeleton's eyes lit up, then looked at his mom as he pointed at Hex.

"He is big brother!?" Swap nodded.

"Uh huh. This is your big brother, Hex. Can you say hi to him?" Onyx nodded and started wiggling until he was put down on the floor, then tackle hugged the older skeleton child's legs.

"Hi Big Brother Hex!" He said. Hex glitched even more and instinctively used his strings to pull Onyx away from him, holding the toddler out in front of him. Sasha's eyes grew wide and jumped off the couch, her eyes blazing with magic as she summoned a few bones, but Sarah shot to her feet and held her sister back. Swap held his arm out, signalling for them to wait. They did stop, but stayed still as they reluctantly watched the two boys. Onyx was surprised by the sudden action and looked around, a curious gaze in his eyes. He smiled and started giggling as he swung his legs, making his body swing back and forth.  
The others watched in silence, glancing at Hex to see how he would react. Hex just stared as his glitching began to calm down and relaxed a little, but was still a bit tense. He didn't really know how to respond to this, but he soon felt the corners of his mouth twitch up and chuckled quietly.

"Heh. Heheh. Heheheheheh." Onyx smiled even more at hearing his big brother smile and laugh. The older boy slowly set him back down on the floor. Swap walked over and gently nudged Hex over to the girls.

"Hex, these are your sisters, Sarah and Sasha. Sarah and Sasha, this is your big brother, Hex." He told them.

"Hi!" Sarah said, rather enthusiastically. Hex waved back, smiling a little, then noticed the look Sasha had in her eyes and frowned. The magenta-eyed skeleton narrowed her eyes a little and looked away.

"Hey." He looked away as well. Onyx ran over to his mom.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Yes sweetie?"

"Can Big Brother share my room? Please?" Swap gave a thoughtful hum and looked at Hex.

"What do you think? Would you mind sharing a room with Onyx?" The older boy looked down at his half-brother, then up at his mom and smiled a little.

"I don't mind." Onyx let out a happy gasp and jumped up and down as he squealed loudly. They all chuckled at his enthusiasm. He ran over and grabbed Hex's hand and started tugging on his arm.

"Come on! Come on! I wanna show you my room!"

"Alright. Alright. I'm coming." He said and followed him up to the second floor, then into the second room on the left. The room was pretty simple. Onyx's bed was up against the wall on the right with bookshelves and a toy chest against the opposite wall. Admittedly, Hex was rather impressed, despite how simple it looked. It was more than he had ever had, which was pretty much nothing except for his "pets" and the few toys his da-. His body started to shake and glitch as he suddenly remember that his dad was gone.  
He fell to his knees and pulled the black hoodie tighter around him, his breathing getting faster and faster. The toddler turned around, wanting to show him something, but dropped what he was holding and ran over to his brother when he noticed the shaking. Onyx wrapped his arms around his neck and hugged him, burying his face in Hex's shoulder. Surprised by the unexpected hug, Hex went still for several minutes then....he slowly put his own arms around the younger skeleton and hugged him back. It felt....nice. He could feel his half-brother's soul pulsing and giving off a warm light that began to fill his own.   
After a few moments, he broke down and started to cry again, holding Onyx close to him as though his life depended on it. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, even though it was only about half of one, before Hex's crying quieted down to soft whimpers and sniffles. Even then, Onyx stayed in his arms and continued to keep his arms around his brother. When Hex heard what the younger skeleton said next, he knew that he was finally where he belonged.

"Welcome home Big Brother Hex."


	6. Dear Dad...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A journal of Hex's life after entering the lives of his new family with his mom, half-siblings, and step-father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter by my MotS beta-reader, Miiv12.
> 
>  
> 
> I honestly have no idea how long this thing is gonna be going....

**Entry #1**  
  
Hey dad,um,this "therapist" guy or whatever gave me this journal,so i could write to you.  
He said it could make me feel better,i don't really know if it will,but might as well give it a try  
i guess...  
I'm okay by the way,not dead anyways.  
I'm living with Swa..mom now.  
It's been a really weird week,i guess i'll just start from when..Classic told me about what happened to you.  
So after..the accident,i spend the next two years in Limbo.  
But one day Classic came to visit,and he brought Sw..mom with him.  
I was angry,like REALLY angry at first,but he explained stuff and said he was sorry and said i could come live with him and  
i was just..lonely,so i went with him.  
It's been a week since then,i'm still getting used to "normal" life.  
On the first day i was here,Onyx(my little brother,you remember him right?)  
showed me his,or our room now.  
I may have started crying,but i don't want to talk about that right now.  
Anyhow,after i calmed down Onyx kept showing me his stuff,he's got a lot of toys,books,  
and other stuff.  
Like these rocks and leaves he's found outside,and this weird shaped seashell he got from the beach  
not too far from the city we live in.  
Later,Swa..mom came upstairs and told us to come eat dinner.  
It was weird,sitting at a table,with a plate and fork and all that.  
And it's gonna happen everyday now too,at least three times no less.  
After that,i realized living with my new "family" was gonna be a little more difficult than i,  
or even they had thought.  
Like,the house we live in is full of things that are perfectly normal to them,but completely new to me.  
For example,i was watching S..mom wash the dishes after we finished eating,and i took a look around the kitchen.  
I started asking mom what the items around the room were,he looked a bit confused but answered anyways.  
There's a thing called "a stove",apparently that's what mom uses to make food,or most of it.  
Then there's "a coffee maker" and a punch of stuff used to make food," kitchen utensil" i think that's what he called them.  
There's more stuff like that around the house,sometimes even Onyx tells me what things are called and what they're used for.  
Later that evening,Fell moved the bed from the guest room to mine and Onyx's room,since it had only one bed and it's too small for us both.  
That's another thing i haven't gotten used to yet,a bed.  
I had my "nest" as you called it,back in the anti-void,i don't understand why people need a mattress to sleep on,  
when a pile of pillows and blankets is a lot better.  
The bed is too exposed,and hiding under it is too obvious,how do they sleep on them so peacefully?  
But i'm already walking on thin ice,so i'll just have to get used to doing things their way,  
even if it is really weird and uncomfortable.  
Fell definetly hates me,i know he does,but then again..we did destroy his world,and killed his family,  
so i guess i can't really blame him too much.  
Not like i was expecting him to try to be my new dad,as if he could even come close to replacing you.  
Sasha and i aren't really getting along either,but that's her fault for being so bossy,  
and she doesn't like me playing around with Onyx,i think she's just jelous or something.  
Sarah is okay,she's a lot easier to get along with than her twin,but she's just a bit too cheerful if you ask me.  
Onyx is adorable,seriously,that kid is too nice and naive for his own good.  
I'm still getting used to mom,he sure is a lot like how you always said he was...  
It's getting pretty late,Sw..mom won't be happy if he sees me still up,i'll write more tomorrow.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #2**  
  
They really hate me,i know they do.  
Well,Sarah seems to be more scared than anything else,but i'm talking about Fell and Sasha.  
Then again,i did kill the twins,and helped you destroy Underfell..yeah,good times.  
I wonder if Sasha can remember that?Mom and Fell do,but i'm not sure about her.  
No matter what mom says,he can't hide that fearful look he gets whenever i start getting angry.  
Onyx is too young to understand this stuff..maybe that's a good thing.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #3**  
  
Mom and i went to the Anti-void today,to get the chest that our stuff is in.  
Thank god Classic didn't take it,all of the stuff is still there,my old toys and drawings,  
and the dolls and cards you made for me for my birthdays...  
The video camera is there too,and all the videos are still on it.  
I watched them with mom,my first words and steps,and those stupid videos that you took of me when  
i wasn't looking..he thought they were really cute though.  
It's got my first attack and kill too,mom didn't like those ones as much,but they were pretty funny to  
look back to if you ask me..i might have cried a little afterwards.  
...I miss you.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #4**  
  
I feel a really,really,reeeaaaallly strong urge to break something!Anything!  
It's probably my LV..Fell said i've been getting "moody."  
I really wanted to show him just how "moody" i can get..  
But mom was there,and i would probably lose to Fell because of this stupid collar!  
Seriously,what does mom see in Fell anyways?  
I'll talk to you later,i'll go see if i can find a fly to kill or something..  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #5**  
  
I ugh..might have had a little panic attack today.  
I know you said i should avoid them,but i didn't really have a choice on the matter.  
So,after breakfast mom told us he had to take care of some errands,so he had to leave us with  
a "babysitter."  
I won't lie to you,i was pretty much clinging to him when he tried to leave the house..  
I don't know why,i just..you remember that one time when you left me alone while i was having a nap,  
i was like..4 or 6 i think.  
And when you came back i was crying cause i thought you'd left forever?  
I feel like that whenever mom isn't around,even if he's just in another room.  
(The therapist said it's because of "trauma" or something.)  
Anyways,mom had to leave eventually and i..hid in Onyx's and my room when this woman,  
Rose,came over.  
Onyx tried to get me to come out at first,but eventually he gave up and stayed with me in the room.  
An hour passed,i was fine.  
An hour and 10 minutes,i was listening for the sound of the front door opening and mom's voice.  
An hour and a half,i was pacing around the room and peeking out of the door every 2 seconds.  
Two hours..i was shaking in the corner.  
Onyx was trying to get me to calm down,but i wasn't having it.  
Mom came back a few minutes later,he didn't even get to apologize for being late,  
or explain why he was so late,since i had ran downstairs and hugged his middle as tightly as possible.  
He was worried and started asking what was wrong,but i didn't answer.  
Rose was actually the one who suggested mom should take me to see a "psychologist."  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #6**  
  
Hey dad,sorry i didn't write to you yesterday,nothing really happened.  
Mom took me to the "therapist" guy today.  
(I got this journal today,but the guy told me to start writing from the first day i arrived to Underswap.)  
He tried to get me to talk to him,kept asking how i was doing and stuff like that.  
I had to fill in some papers too,mom seemed relived when he saw me writing and reading.  
Did he really think you wouldn't teach me that stuff?  
And i thought you two used to be friends.  
After i was done the guy wanted to talk to mom,i waited outside the office while they talked.  
And before you ask,yes i did listen to them.  
Something about me having problems and needing help or something..  
I'm kinda tired,i'll just try to get some sleep...  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #7**  
  
Hi dad,i know i haven't written for like..4 days?  
Nothing special really happened,i mostly play around with Onyx all day,until Sasha comes and ruins the fun.  
She keeps ranting about me playing too roughly with with the little guy,she's a real joy kill.  
Mom and Fell said the same,but i don't really get it.  
That's all i have for today.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #8**  
  
Hey dad..i think someone's been reading this journal.  
I thought it was Onyx,but he said it wasn't him,and it was clear he was telling the truth.  
(That kid can't lie,at all.)  
Maybe it was mom?I doubt it,but it's a possibility.  
Or maybe it's Fell..i'll just hide this thing better.  
I also found a mother spider living under my bed today,she's got babies there too and they're just the cutest things ever!  
But mom wouldn't let me keep them..apparently Sasha's afraid of them.  
Seriously,who could be scared of spiders?!  
Girls are weird.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #9**  
  
The urge to kill is getting preeetty strong.  
I stayed up for hours last night,just staring at Onyx while he was sleeping,  
just thinking about how easy it would be,and satisfying..  
  
  
**Entry #10**  
  
I know,i know it's been like 2 days since i last wrote anything,i just..had some trouble.  
Mom decided we should all go to the city for a few hours,Sasha didn't really like the idea,  
but everyone else seemed excited..okay i was too,  
i didn't really get to see much of the city last time i was here..  
Heh,you always did say i like exploring too much.  
Anyhow,we got to the city,and it was awesome!  
There was so much to see and do,like this big fountain(i may or may not have taken the coins from the bottom.)  
and there's a big park too,i have to admit,it was kinda pretty.  
And there was just so many of those food stands,Fell actually noticed me looking at the one that sell's fried chicken,  
he even got me one..it was delicious.  
Everything was going pretty nicely,i actually had a good time..until mom and Fell spotted some friends and their kids,  
this world's Undyne and Alphys to be precise.  
They were talking,Sarah and Sasha were playing around with Onyx in the park we were in,  
i just stayed close to mom.  
(I don't like other people getting too close to him,at least people i don't trust..which is pretty much everyone else  
except You,Onyx and mom himself.)  
Then,mom had the "brilliant" idea of me and one of the kids "hanging out."  
(His name is Jarrett by the way)  
I reaaally wasn't up for it,but mom looked so excited and hopeful..  
It was super awkward and uncomfortable.  
We just kinda sat there in silence.  
He tried to make small talk and come up with stuff to do,but i just wasn't interested.  
(To be fair,some of his ideas weren't too bad.)  
I didn't really know how to talk to him or anything,i don't really have much experience with kids my age.  
..What are kids my age supposed to do or talk about?  
Heck if i know,Onyx is just two and the twins are boring,and still younger than me.  
Well,mom said it was important i at least tried,guess that counts for something.  
Onyx slept in my bed last night,turns out he's scared of thunder,  
who knew?  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #11**  
  
This collar is really getting on my nerves.  
It's annoying,i have to ask mom to give me stuff i can't reach.  
Who was the idiot that build every god damn table,counter and  shelf so high up in this house?!  
It would be so easy if i could just use my strings,but noooo.  
I barely reach the sink..  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #12**  
  
I met with the therapist guy today,he was telling me and mom about the supposed "issues" that i have.  
Like,anger management problems,depression,and this thing called "athazagoraphobia".  
Mom seemed pretty worried,but i don't really care to be honest..  
He gave mom a  prescription for some medicine i have to take from now on,and i have to go talk to this guy once a week.  
Mom said it's for the best,but i honestly doubt that.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
**Entry #13**  
  
..Is it bad to be jelous of your siblings?  
I mean,i just can't help it at times,when mom's helping Onyx get dressed,or when he's playing with him,  
or when he's cooking with Sarah,or helping Sasha with her school work.  
I just..feel like i'm missing something.  
Is that what it would have been like?If mom had kept me as a baby.  
It looks nice,and they always look so happy..  
Don't get me wrong,i know you did your best and all,and you are the best dad ever,but..  
I..i'll just go grab some water..  
If i can get a glass from the shelf.  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #14**  
  
I still feel like someone's reading this journal,even though i hid it better.  
Maybe i should just sleep with it and keep it with me..  
The urge to kill is getting worse,and i already killed all the bugs i could find in the house.  
(Except for a little spider i found,i think mom missed it when he took the mother spider and her babies outside.)  
I'm kinda getting used to sleeping in a bed,it's still too exposed for my taste though..  
  
Love you,Hex.  
  
  
**Entry #15**  
  
I..i almost killed Onyx..oh god i almost killed him.  
I don't get it,i want to do it but at the same time..i don't!  
What's going on?Dad,i'm scared,i-i don't know what's going on..


	7. Big Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onyx's point of view during the previous two chapters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *laughs evil laugh*

# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Guess I finally have a use for this blank book Sasha gave me for my birthday.  
Uncle Classic came over a couple days ago and talked to Mommy and Daddy. I got worried when Mommy started crying and I wanted to go and hug him, but he had told us to stay in the living room. After Uncle left, Mommy and Daddy talked to each other. Daddy didn't look happy about it and kept pointing towards us. Mommy kept crying and shaking his head, looking really upset. Then they walked over to us and Mommy told us that we had an older half-brother named Hex.  
Sasha asked why Hex wasn't living with us if he was our sibling. Mommy told us that it was because he was afraid that he wouldn't be strong enough to protect him as his father had a lot of people that really didn't like him, so he put him in his dad's care as he was almost as strong as Uncle Classic. Then he told us that something had happened to one of the people that really really really didn't like Hex's dad and that he had been taken to jail where something happened to him and Hex was all alone now. Mommy said that he and Daddy had talked it over and said that they were going to bring Hex here so he wouldn't be alone anymore. Sasha didn't look too happy about it, and neither did Sarah, but I was. I always wondered what it was like to have a brother, that and not be sick so much.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Hex came home today! And he's really cool looking, too! I got to show him my room, which we're now gonna be sharing together. He got really upset for some reason, but I just gave him a hug and he stopped crying after a while. Brother didn't seem to know what a lot of things were, so Mommy and I helped him with that. I wonder what his home was like when he still lived with his dad...  
Oh. Mommy said that it's a place called the "anti-void" and that it's really empty and lonely. No wonder Hex doesn't know what a lot of things are.  
Sasha says it's because he's stupid. She got yelled at. Both of my sisters always look nervous whenever Hex is in the same room as them and Daddy has this angry look in his eyes whenever he looks at him. Mommy isn't like that though. He's happy and smiley whenever he talks to Big Brother.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Mommy and Hex left to go get stuff from the anti-void earlier today. Sasha has been telling Big Brother not to play with me. I wish she wouldn't do that.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Aunt Rose came over to keep an eye on us while Mommy went to go do some stuff in the city. Hex wasn't happy about it and stayed in our room the entire time. I tried to get him to come out, but he didn't want to so I stayed with him so he wouldn't be lonely. He doesn't like being alone for some reason, so I make sure that he isn't. Sasha tells me that I should stay away from him so I don't get hurt. I know she's just being a big sis, but sometimes I wish that she wouldn't do it so much.  
Anyway, Hex was fine for about an hour, then he started pacing around and looking down the hall as if he heard something. Then he got really shaky and scared. I tried to calm him down, but nothing worked. When Mommy came home, Big Brother ran downstairs really fast and hugged him. Mommy got worried. Then Aunt Rose said something him while moving her hand towards Hex.  
I think she said something about a "sikalagist." Whatever that is. Why do grownups have to use such big words? ....Sasha said it's so they seem smarter.  
  
I gotta stop asking questions to myself out loud.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Mommy and Hex went to go see the sikalagist yesterday and Big Brother got a blank book as well. I saw him writing in it too, but I didn't read it. Mommy always tells me that it's not nice to go through people's things without asking them first.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Hex and I got to play today. It was fun. We got to run around in the backyard. I love playing with Big Brother. He doesn't treat me like I'm a crinkly leaf, which is really nice. It made me forget that I was sickly...until Sasha came home and found us rough-housing. She yelled at him for being too rough with me. I hope he doesn't get in trouble.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
I woke up last night and found Hex just....staring at me with this strange look in his eyes. It...kinda scared me. I asked him if something was wrong but he said no, then laid back down and faced the wall. I could hear him mumbling to himself, but I couldn't tell what he was saying so I went back to sleep.  
  
I hope he's okay.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
We got to go into the city today. It was awesome. I caught Hex taking coins from the fountain and told him that it was a no no. He just rolled his eyes and put them in his pocket. At least he didn't take a whole lot. Daddy's being a lot nicer to him, too.  
He got Big Brother some food from one of the vendors at the park, which made him really happy. We ended up bumping into some of Mommy's friends and their kids. Me and my sisters played while they talked. Hex stayed with Mommy the entire time and just glared at anyone that came to close to them. He doesn't do it to me though. Wonder why that is.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
I ended up sleeping with Hex in his bed last night. It was storming outside. I don't like storms. Especially the loud rumbling ones with the bright flashes of light in the sky. He didn't seem to mind sharing the bed with me. It was nice being close to Big Brother like that. It made me feel safe.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Hex has started acting weird. He seems to be angier than usual and it's making Sarah and Sasha nervous. And Mommy too. I don't like it.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Big brother snapped at me today. He told me to get lost. Hiding behind the couch while writing this. I can hear Sasha yelling at him again. Did I do something wrong? And why did he have that scary look in his eyes? I don't know what to do.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
I found a bunch of dead bugs around the house. I showed one to Sarah. She freaked out so I threw it away. Hex was nearby when I showed her. He had a strange look on his face.  
  
.......I'm scared.  
  
  


# XX/XX/XX

 __  
Aunt Rose took Sarah and Sasha over to her place for a few minutes to do something real quick, so Hex and I are alone at home right now. He keeps giving me these scary looks and it's scaring me.  
  
Onyx closed the book and put the pencil in the metal ring spine that held it together. Suddenly he felt himself being pushed off of the couch and landed hard on the floor with a grunt.  
"Ow. That hurt." He muttered, then turned around when he heard chuckling and saw Hex standing over him. His eyes widened and he scrambled backwards as he got to his feet.  
"B...Big Brother? W...what are you d-doing?" The little boy asked, but there was no answer as the older skeleton started walking towards him. Scared, Onyx started to run, but was yanked backwards by the collar of his shirt and hit the back of his head on the floor as he fell. He grabbed his skull and let out a small cry, tears beginning to well up in his sockets. Then he felt hands around his neck that started to squeeze. The young skeleton let out choked cries as he struggled to break free, but it was no use.  
"B....bi....g.......b....ro...th....er....." Onyx weakly cried out as he opened his eyes.....then wished he hadn't as he stared up into the face of said skeleton. Hex pulled out a yellow heart from underneath his shirt and began to squeeze it. Pain shot through his body, making him cry out. The pain began to get stronger and stronger until everything went dark.  
  
  
"Get off of him!" Sasha shouted as she threw herself at her half-brother, knocking him off of Onyx and causing him to let go of her brother's soul. She knew that he couldn't be trusted to be left alone with Onyx. That psycho had almost killed him! The magenta-eyed skeleton stood between Hex and her brother as she glared at him. His eyes widened and he ran upstairs where she heard a bedroom door slam shut. Sasha turned and hurried over to Sarah and Onyx. The younger twin carefully lifted him up off the floor. Their brother was barely breathing or moving as he lay limp in her arms.


	8. When it Flashes Before Your Eyes...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories of father and son fluff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Miiv12 on DeviantArt

_**"Okay kid,you almost got it."** Error said as he watched Hex,who had a focused look on his face as he tried to stand up on his own._   
_The boy stuck his tongue out as he concentrated on not falling over again._   
_Soon enough,Hex was standing up,holding his arms over his sides to balance himself._   
_Once he realized he'd succeeded,the baby squealed happily and looked up at his dad,who looked just as happy as him._   
_Error smiled and chuckled as he patted his son's skull,though he was careful not to make him lose his balance._   
_**"Okay kid,let's try walking."** The older skeleton said as he took a couple steps back and kneeled down,_   
_holding his arms out towards the baby skeleton._   
_**"Come to daddy Hex,come on."** he called,the boy nodded and carefully moved his leg forward as he took his first step,_   
_then another,and another._   
_After a couple steps Hex lost his balance and almost fell over but was caught by Error's strings._   
_**"That was pretty good."** The black skeleton said as the strings moved the baby over to him and set him on his arms._   
_Hex grinned up at his dad and snuggled against him._   
  
  
  
_He really had no idea why he'd decided to go look through a new AU during Hex's nap time._   
_Error glanced around the clearing,it was a warm,sunny day,though the wind was getting pretty pushy._   
_He just shrugged it off and continued walking._   
_The black skeleton was too occupied with what he was doing that he didn't notice Hex wake up._   
_The baby yawned as he looked around tiredly,growing confused when he saw something that definetly wasn't his home._   
_He continued looking around,growing curious of his surrounderings._   
_His eyes grew wide as he looked up towards the sky and saw the sun for the first time,along with a few clouds that passed by._   
_The young boy smiled as he continued looking around,finding everything he saw new and interesting._   
_His little exploration was interupted when a sudden strong blow of wind blew past the two skeletons,_   
_even making Error take a step back and try not to fall over._   
_His eyes widened when he heard a loud squeak and a familiar cry._   
_The black skeleton quickly checked his hood,only to find it empty._   
_**"Hex?!"** He called and turned around,hearing another cry._   
_He looked up towards the sound and turned pale when he saw the baby high up in the air,_   
_being carried along with the strong wind._   
_**"Shit!Shit!Shit!Shit!Shit!"** Error cursed as he ran after the boy and summoned a blaster,which flew up to catch him._   
_The blaster quickly snatched Hex into it's teeth,careful not to hurt the baby as it carried him back down and over to Error._   
_**"Thank the fucking stars..."** the black skeleton muttered in relief as he took his son and held him close,_   
_he noticed the child was shaking but he wasn't crying,though he did look quite shocked._   
_**"Maybe we should just go back.."** Error said as he opened a portal and walked back into the Anti-void._   
  
  
  
_**"Come on kid,just say something..."** Error muttered,almost whining as he looked down at his young son,_   
_who just blinked and looked up at him with those big eyes of his._   
_The black skeleton groaned in slight annoyance,Hex was around six months old now and had yet to say a single word,_   
_kids his age were supposed to be saying things by now,or so he'd learned from the info he'd gotten from UnderBorn._   
_**"Look,it's easy."** He said and grabbed one of the couple books he had laying around._   
_He opened it on a random page and looked through it till he found a simple enough word and showed it to Hex._   
_**"Say 'eat.'"** The boy wasn't even paying any attention to him._   
_**"Fine,how about...'light?'"** Nothing._   
_Error rubbed his forehead as he felt like his skull was going to exploud any minute,_   
_he'd spend the last hour or two just trying to get Hex to say something,anything!_   
_**"Okay,let's try something really easy..."** he muttered and looked through a few pages._   
_**"Here,say 'hi',that simple,just two letters."** Error said and looked back down to his son,_   
_only to find that he wasn't sitting in front of him anymore._   
_**"..Hex?"** He called and looked around,but couldn't see the child._   
_**"Where the hell did y..?"** _   
_"Dada."_   
_Error froze and blinked a few times as he turned to look behind him and saw Hex sitting behind him and hold onto his jacket,_   
_smiling up at the older skeleton._   
_**"..What?"** He asked,not sure if he'd heard correctly._   
_The young child giggled at his reaction."Dada"he repeated and pointed up at him._   
_Error sat there for a moment as he stared down at Hex with a dumbstruck expression._   
_**"...You,sneaky little pest,you knew that word all along didn't you?"** Hex grinned and nodded._   
_The older skeleton groaned and fell over onto his side,making Hex laugh even more._   
_Error chuckled a bit before sitting up and snatching the small child into his arms and hugging him._   
_**"God damn it kid..."** _   
_That was definetly Error's favourite out of all the pranks Hex ever did._   
  
  
  
_Error sat in the Anti-void,knitting something while his son took a nap inside his rib cage._   
_Soon enough he felt the toddler start to wake up,yawning as he did so._   
_**"Hey kiddo."** The older skeleton greeted and quickly hid his little project in his pocket._   
_"Hi."Hex replied as he rubbed at his eye sockets and yawned again as Error untied him and took him out of his rib cage._   
_Error chuckled a bit as he set the toddler down._   
_**"Hey kid,do you know what day it is?"** He asked the child,who shook his head._   
_**"It's your birthday kiddo,which means you'll be getting a gift and a cake and we can do whatever you want."** _   
_Birthday's was one of the things Swap had taught him about once the blue eyed skeleton found out Error didn't have one,_   
_yet alone know what it was._   
_Hex's face instantly lit up as he smiled wide and looked up at his dad and held his arms up._   
_"Gift!Gimme!Gimme!"He squeaked,making Error chuckle._   
_**"I gotta get it done first kid,why not eat the cake first?"** Hex pouted slightly,but nodded._   
_The older skeleton looked through his inventory and pulled out a small cupcake with a candle on top_   
_and set it down in front of the toddler._   
_**"Blow the candle and make a wish before you eat it."** he told the boy,who nodded and did as told,_   
_grinning when the little flame went out and Error took it off so Hex could eat the cupcake._   
_**"What did ya wish for?"** He asked,but Hex shook his head._   
_"Secret."He said,Error rolled his eyes and turned around so Hex was facing his back._   
_**"Let me finish your gift while ya eat,ok?"** the boy nodded and started munching on his cupcake while Error went back to knitting._   
_About ten minutes later Hex finished his treat and wiped his face with his sleeve as he looked up at his dad and patted his back._   
_"Done yet?"He asked,starting to grow impatient._   
_**"In a minute."** Error replied,the boy huffed and crossed his arms as he leaned against the older skeleton's back and waited._   
_Soon enough,the black skeleton turned around to face him and held something out to the child._   
_**"Here ya go,happy birthday kiddo."** He said as he offered a simple,knitted doll to Hex._   
_It was mostly white,though it had blue spots on it's face to resemble eyes._   
_Hex took the doll and held it in his hands,realizing it was wrapped in a blue cloth which he'd used as a blankie for..well,forever._   
_The toddler hugged the doll tightly as he looked up at his dad with a big smile._   
_"Thank you!"He said happily,smiling even more.The older skeleton smiled and chuckled,patting his skull._   
_**"You're welcome kiddo.So,whatcha want do birthday boy?"** _   
_Hex looked down in thought for a moment as he held his doll,then looked up at his dad as he had an idea._   
_"Can we go see the stars?"He asked._   
_Error nodded and picked him up as he opened a portal to OuterTale on their favourite spot._   
_**"Sure kiddo."** he said and stepped through,Hex shivered slightly from the cold air,but didn't let it bother him._   
_Error sat down on the ground and held the toddler close as they watched the stars until Hex fell asleep..._   
  
  
  
_"Daddy,what's a 'mommy'?"_   
_Hex asked as he looked up at his dad,who had gone stiff when he heard the question._   
_**"..Why'd you ask?"** The older skeleton replied as he looked down at his son,who shrugged._   
_"Saw the word here."he said and picked up one of the few books Error had managed to snatch from other AU's,_   
_it was supposed to help kids learn words and how to read and write and such._   
_The boy opened it and looked through it before he found the page and pointed down at the word and_   
_the picture of a human woman below it._   
_"What is it?"Hex asked again and tilted his head._   
_Error fell silent as he tried to think of an answer._   
_**"...Well,you know how i'm your dad right?Mommy is similar but it's a little different."** _   
_The toddler raised an eyebrow,even more confused now._   
_**"When you create a kid,that's you,a dad needs a mom to help create that kid,and a mom needs a dad to help with that too.."** _   
_Error said,hoping it would clear up the situation a little._   
_"...Soooo,a mommy is like another dad?"Hex asked._   
_**"Kind of."** The older skeleton replied._   
_"Huh...then,where's mommy?"The boy asked as he looked up at Error,who looked down at his feet as he thought about what to tell him._   
_He couldn't just tell the truth,not yet at least,maybe when the kid was older..._   
_**"I dunno."  
  
** _   
  
_**'I feel like killing something.'** Error thought to himself as he stared up into the endless white of the Anti-void._   
_He glanced over at Hex,who was curretly taking his nap._   
_**'..I'll be back before he wakes up.'** The black skeleton thought as he stood up,trying to be as quiet as possible so he wouldn't wake up_   
_the five year old child._   
_He opened a portal to a random AU and went through._   
  
_About half an hour later,Hex yawned as he started to wake up and rolled over on his nest,reaching for his doll which had fallen to the floor while he'd been asleep._   
_"Daddy...can't reach dolly..."he whined tiredly,then opened his eyes when he realized there had been no response._   
_"Daddy?"Hex called again as he looked up,but couldn't see the older skeleton._   
_The boy frowned and sat up,looking around the area,but still couldn't spot his dad anywhere._   
_"Daddy!"He called again,but there was still no response._   
_"Maybe he's out..."he muttered and laid back down,using a small string to pull his doll back over to him._   
_Hex hugged the toy as he waited,and waited,and waited..._   
_The young child started feeling nervous when there was still no sign of his father anywhere._   
_"Daddy,this isn't funny..."Nothing._   
_He curled up under the blankets,wanting to see something other than the white emptiness staring back at him._   
_Eventually,Hex started crying and shaking under the blanket,holding tightly onto his doll as a strange,_   
_cold yet familiar feeling started taking over and he cried even more._   
_For some reason,images started appearing in his head,dark blue and purple colors,white dots high above him._   
_He felt warm at first,the smell around him was familiar and comforting,but after a while it changed to something cold and unfamiliar._   
_Voices...he could make out voices too,so familiar but so unclear and..._   
_**"Hex?"** _   
_The child froze and opened his eyes when he heard the familiar voice of his dad and quickly sat up,_   
_pulling the covers away as he looked in the direction the voice had come from._   
_Error frowned when he saw the tears streaming down his son's cheeks,the boy was looking at him as if he'd seen a ghost._   
_**"..You okay kid?"** He asked._   
_Hex remained frozen for a moment before he suddenly teleported over to the older skeleton and hugged his legs tightly,_   
_practically clinging to him as he started crying again._   
_The black skeleton crouched down and picked him up,holding Hex close and rubbed his back gently as the boy kept crying..._   
  
  
_**  
'And there's another one,great...'** Error thought to himself as he watched as a new AU was created by Ink,_   
_who looked soooo happy with his newest creation.._   
_The black skeleton huffed and made the window he'd been using to watch other AU's disappear,_   
_then realized someone was calling for him and tugging on his hoodie._   
_"Daddy!DADDY!"He looked over his shoulder at his small three year old son,_   
_who looked pissed he was being seemingly ignored by the older skeleton._   
_**"Sorry kiddo,what's up?"** The boy huffed and held onto his doll,_   
_though he seemed to get into a better mood now that he had his dad's attention._   
_"You wanna have a tea party with me and my friends?"Hex asked and pointed towards his usual playing spot,_   
_where he'd set up a cloth one would use for a picnic,along with whatever glasses,_   
_plastic plates and milkshake cups they had laying around at the moment._   
_His two other dolls were placed in front of two of the plates while four other spots were still free._   
_**"..Sure."** Error replied as he stood up,Hex smiled and took his hand and led him over to the little 'party.'_   
_Once he sat down,the older of the two skeletons glanced over at the leftover spot to Hex's right side and raised an eyebrow._   
_**"Who's spot is that?"** he asked Hex,who looked up to see what his dad meant before turning to Error to answer him._   
_"It's for mommy in case he wants to join too."He explained,causing Error to fall silent and look down at the ground._   
_**"...Oh,okay."** _   
  
  
  
_"Daddy,i have a question."_   
_Error turned his head and looked down at his son,who stood next to him,looking up at the older skeleton as he held onto Error's hoodie with one hand while holding his doll with the other._   
_**"What is it?"  
** "Why doesn't mommy live with us here?"_   
_The black skeleton froze in place when he heard the question,even the glitches floating around him seemed to stop moving completely._   
_"..Daddy?"Hex called and tugged on his hoodie,wondering what was up with his dad._   
_**"..He...I don't know."** He finally managed to say,trying to hide how much the subject was actually affecting him._   
_The boy huffed and furrowed his brows,not satisfied with the answer._   
_"Why not?"Error held his skull in his hands as he stood up and started walking._   
_**"I don't know kid,i just..don't know."** He muttered._   
_Hex quickly followed after him,determined to get a better asnwer out of him._   
_"I wanna know!Can't we just go find hi.."_   
_**"No!We're not doing that.."** Error snapped and shot Hex a quick glare,but that didn't stop the stuborn four year old._   
_"Why not!?I wa.."_   
_**"Because i said so!"** Error shouted as he turned and narrowed his eyes at the boy,who took a quick step back,_   
_startled by his dad's sudden shouting._   
_**"Just stop asking about Swap!It doesn't matter because he's not coming back and  
he doesn't give shit about us or what you want!  
He doesn't want anything to do with us!"** _   
_Error shouted,not even realizing Hex was shaking and slowly backing away from him._   
_The black skeleton groaned and breathed heavily as he looked down at the ground._   
_**"..Everything was fine,until i made the fucking mistake and got him preg..."** _   
_He stopped once he realized what he'd almost said and turned to look at Hex._   
_The boy was shaking like a leaf and crying as he looked up at Error with wide,fearful eyes.._   
_Error remained frozen for a moment,opening his mouth as he tried to say something,anything._   
_**"Hex,i..."** he started and reached for the boy,but he turned and ran away and right through a portal before Error could stop him._   
_Error's eyes widened and he quickly went throught the same portal and looked around,realizing he was in the Snowdin woods._   
_**"Hex?!"** He called,but didn't hear an answer._   
_He started teleporting around as he looked for the boy,slowly starting to panic as the minutes went by._   
_But he stopped when he heard a quiet sniffle and quickly went in the sound's direction._   
_**"Hex?"** He called,then noticed a tree that had a hole in it and went over._   
_Error crouched down and looked inside,sighing in relief when he saw his son curled up at the very back of the hole._   
_**"...Kid,i'm sorry for yelling at you like that okay?I didn't mean to,it just..slipped out."** _   
_He fell silent for a moment,he knew it wasn't a good reason for his behavior,but it was the truth at least._   
_**"..Can you come out?"** Error asked as he looked at Hex,who nodded slowly before crawling out from his hiding spot,_   
_still shaking though that could have been from the cold._   
_**"Come on,let's go back."** The boy gave another small nod in response and curled up in his dad's arms,_   
_still holding his doll close to his chest._   
_**"I'm sorry kid,i didn't mean to make you upset."** Error said as he stepped into the Anti-void._   
_Hex remained quiet and tugged on his dad's shirt,right on the spot where his soul was._   
_Error laid down on Hex's nest when he realized what the boy wanted and lifted his shirt slightly._   
_Hex instantly crawled inside his dad's ribcage and laid down next to Error's soul and curled,_   
_falling asleep almost immediately..._   
  
  
  
_Error zipped his hoodie closed as he stepped into the cold forest of Snowdin in a random AU he'd found._   
_It was still very new so the other Sanses had most likely not found it yet,_   
_which made it perfect for gathering food and other things they might need._   
_**"Who knows.Maybe we can get you a new toy while we're here,whatcha think kid?"** The black skeleton asked,_   
_he felt his six year old son shift inside his hood and sit up when he heard his dad talk to him._   
_"Can we?!"Hex squeaked in excitment,the older skeleton chuckled and shrugged._   
_**"Maybe,let's just focus on the food though ok?"** the boy huffed but nodded and laid back down in the hood of Error's jacket._   
_"Fine..."he muttered and curled up slightly and shivered,he never liked going to Snowdin or any place where it was cold,_   
_the only exception to the rule was OuterTale._   
_Hex peeked out of the hood and started looking around the place,holding his favourite toy close to his chest as he did so,_   
_he barely left home without it._   
_His eyes grew wide when he saw something shiny fly past him and looked towards it,seeing it was some sort of a insect._   
_Curious,he sat up straighter and reached for it but it was already long gone._   
_The child whined and pouted,but gasped when he saw another one not too far from them and tried to grab it.._   
_Only to fall out of the hood and face first into the cold snow._   
_Error blinked and turned around when he heard his son squeak in suprise and looked down,_   
_seeing that the boy had gone straight through the soft pile of snow and was now burried in the cold powder._   
_**"What are you doing?"** Error asked and raised an eyebrow as he crouched down next to the pile of snow,_   
_getting a muffled noise as a response._   
_The black skeleton chuckled slightly and had a string wrap around Hex's leg and lift him back up._   
_**"You ok?"** He asked,Hex shook his head rapidly as he tried to get snow out of his skull._   
_"Iss cowld.."the boy whined and started digging the snow out of his eye sockets with his hands,shivering slightly as he did so._   
_Eventually he got the snow out of his skull and the two continued on their way,_   
_Error stopped in his tracks after a couple minutes when he heard a strange sound._   
_**"Hex?"** he called,wondering what the sound the boy had just made was._   
_The said skeleton opened his mouth to answer,but instead he sneezed again,shivering even more now._   
_**"..Are you okay?"** Error asked and took the boy out of his hood and looked down at him,growing even more confused and slighly worried when he saw his son's bones shaking so much they made a quiet clanking noise._   
_The boy's face was slightly flushed blue and he sneezed again,he also felt strangely warm to the touch._   
_"Dunno.."Hex replied,holding tightly onto his doll as he tried to stay warm._   
_Error frowned and opened a portal back to the Anti-void and went through,_   
_holding Hex close as he closed the portal and walked over to a pile of blankets and pillows his son used as a bed._   
_The boy sniffed and coughed,whining when he started feeling dizzy._   
_Error sat down on the pile and looked down at Hex as if staring at him would help him figure out what was going on._   
_Hex coughed again and leaned closer to his dad as he curled up with his doll,his head hurt,_   
_his whole body was shaking and his nose felt weird._   
_The older skeleton took one of the blankets and wrapped it around his son,it seemed to help a little,but not much._   
_**'The heck's wrong with him?'** He thought,then looked back down at Hex when he felt the boy tug on his jacket._   
_"..Thirsty.."Error nodded and set Hex down onto the pile while he went to check a small fridge they had in the void,_   
_he grabbed one of the juiceboxes and handed it to Hex,who started drinking like he was dying of thirst._   
_"More.."he whined,Error quickly got another box and gave it to him._   
_The older skeleton heard a small growl like sound from his son's stomach and realized they still hadn't eaten._   
_**"I'll be back in a minute kid,promise."** he said and patted Hex's skull gently,he knew the boy hated being left by himself,_   
_but he figured it was better for the kid to stay this time._   
_The child didn't protest,though he wasn't happy either._   
_Error opened another portal and went through it to get the food._   
  
_About 20 minutes later,Error stepped back into the Anti-void,inventory full of food and a book he'd snatched on his way from the library._   
_He walked over to the pile and noticed Hex had fallen asleep._   
_**"Hey kid,wake up i brought food."** _   
_No answer._   
_Error frowned and shook the boy's small shoulder gently._   
_**"Hex?"** _   
_Still nothing._   
_This worried the black skeleton,as his son was a rather light sleeper and usually woke up just by being called._   
_He was breathing though,there was no sign of dust either,thank god._   
_Error sat down next to Hex and noted that the child was still shivering._   
_He laid two more blankets over him and pulled out the book from his inventory._   
_It was apparently a parents guide,he figured whatever was going on with Hex might be normal for kids,or maybe it was a soulborn thing._   
_If that was the case he'd propably have to make a visit to UnderBorn,_   
_and that really wouldn't be the wisest idea if he got spotted by B or Gaster._   
_Apparently Hex was sick,and if he had to guess he'd say the boy had a fever._   
_Turns out it was important for kids to develope their 'immune system' as they grew,and it should start at an early age too._   
_Monsters weren't as vulnerable to sickness and diseaseses as humans,though monster children still had their fair share of sickness,_   
_especially those born premature or weak._   
_Error glanced down at Hex,and was relieved to see he wasn't shaking anymore,which he took as a good sign._   
_Since Hex spend most of his time in the Anti-void he didn't get exposed to bacteria and stuff like that like most kids his age did,_   
_which explained why the fever was taking so much out of him,he wasn't used to it._   
_Error quickly read through the symptoms and what to do to make his son feel better._   
_Thankfully he'd realized to get the kid more blankets,he'd need to drink a lot too it seemed,and it was important to get him to eat too..._   
_Error groaned as he set the book down on the ground,knowing how unprepared he was for this._   
_"Daddy...."The black skeleton turned when he heard Hex call for him weakly,and moved closer to the boy when he saw he was awake._   
_**"Hey kiddo,how you feeling?"** he asked,the child coughed and looked up at him._   
_"Tired.."he replied and laid his head back down,too tired to keep it up._   
_The older skeleton nodded and carefully scooped him up into his arms along with the blankets._   
_Hex instantly curled up and snuggled close to his dad,hugging his doll as he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep again,_   
_he sneezed and started coughing again._   
_Error sighed and rubbed the boy's back gently and held him close once he fell asleep._   
_It was times like this when he hoped Blueberry was still there...._   
  
  
  
_"Dad!Dad,look!"Hex called as he ran over to his dad,who turned to look at him._   
_**"What is it?"** Error asked,Hex held his hands out to show him he was holding something._   
_"Look what i found."the black skeleton raised an eyebrow when he saw a small spider on his son's hands._   
_**"It's a spider kiddo."** he said._   
_"That's what it's called?I like it."Hex said with a smile as he looked down at the spider._   
_**"Just put it back where you found it,this AU's gonna die in a moment."** Error told him,Hex frowned as he glanced at his dad,_   
_then back down at the spider._   
_"But it's so cool and cute..it's even got strings like we do!"Hex said as he watched the little spider._   
_Error sighed and turned to look at Hex,knowing the boy wanted to keep the little creature._   
_**"Hex,no,we ca..."** he paused when he saw his son giving him the puppy eyes._   
_**'Of all the things he had to get from Swap it's that look...'** Error thought and groaned._   
_**"Fine..but don't come whining to me if it dies."** Hex grinned and nodded,starting to nuzzle the little spider._   
_"I'm gonna call you fuzzy legs~"He cooed happily,and Error had to admit that he didn't regret that decision too much._   
  
  
  
_**"Okay kid,you sure you're ready?"** Error asked as he looked down at Hex,who nodded._   
_"I'm sure."he replied,looking back at his dad with a determined look in his eyes._   
_The black skeleton chuckled and patted his skull._   
_**"That's my boy.Now,whenever you're ready."** The seven year old nodded and looked down at the_   
_skeleton that sat a few feet away from him and his dad._   
_Error had tied the guy with his strings and brought him to the Anti-void to be a practise dummy._   
_He was glaring at Hex and Error,though even Hex could see the fear in his eyes._   
_**"I made sure to get one with more than 1 HP,so don't worry if your first try doesn't turn out okay."** _   
_Error told his son,who nodded and walked over to the tied skeleton,who instantly started struggling._   
_"Get the hell away from me!"He growled,Hex huffed and crossed his arms._   
_"Well aren't you just a small ball of sunshine."the boy said sacrastically as he summoned his own strings,_   
_thinking for a moment before having them grap the other skeleton and slam him to the ground so hard a few of his bones cracked._   
_**"Uff,that's got to hurt."** Error said with a chuckle as he watched._   
_Hex chuckled a bit as well,stepping closer to the injured skeleton before having a few strings wrap around one of his hand and start pulling,making him scream in pain._   
_Eventually,the hand came off and Hex picked it up,smiling a little as he looked over at his dad._   
_"Look dad,he decided to 'give me a hand'."Error snorted and shook his head slightly at the pun._   
_Hex put the hand down before turning to the skeleton who was laying on the floor,who looked close to crying but was_   
_obviously holding himself back from doing so._   
_"What next?...oh right."Hex had his strings retreat back to his hands and summoned a few bones instead and threw them_   
_at the injured skeleton,they barely missed his soul,but hit a few of his ribs instead._   
_"..Please..stop,just stop.."He begged,unable to hold the tears back anymore._   
_Hex tilted his head slightly and glanced over at Error._   
_"What do i do when it starts begging?"He asked._   
_**"Ignore it,or make fun of it."** Error replied._   
_The boy nodded and turned back to his victim,who was at only 1 HP at this point._   
_"Hmm...might as well get it over with."He said as he walked over,summoning a sharp bone as he did so._   
_The skeleton's eyes widened when he noticed the boy looming over him,sharp bone in hand and a smile on his face._   
_"Thanks for the LV buddy~"Hex said with a chuckle before stricking the bone straight to the other's soul,which shattered instantly._   
_"...Y..You won't get..away with th..."Was all he managed to say before turning to dust._   
_Hex huffed and threw the bone down as he checked his STATS._   
_"Dad!Look i did it!I got my first LV!"Hex yelled cheerfully as he pointed at his STATS._   
_The older skeleton chuckled and nodded as he walked over._   
_**"Great job kiddo,a few more and you can help me out with those disgusting AU's.  
But for now,how about some milkshakes?"**Error said as he patted Hex's skull._   
_The boy nodded and hugged his dad happily,the two glanced down at the mess and decided they'd clean it later._   
  
  
  
_He really had missed destroing AU's on a regular basis,mostly because of the satisfaction he got afterwards._   
_Error summoned a blaster and watched as it shot a blast of magic at the ground,_   
_creating a huge crater._   
_He could and would have the Anti-void consume the AU,like he did with all the others,_   
_but it was just more fun to cause some chaos first._   
_He laughed as he watched the people of this AU run for their lives,_   
_as if that would change anything._   
_Though these days he had to be more careful,he didn't want to be caught after all._   
_Speaking of getting caught.._   
_He glanced over at the spot where Hex had been just a couple minutes ago,_   
_but saw that the boy wasn't there anymore._   
_He'd chosen this AU as a practise ground,since there really wasn't a real threat here for either of them,_   
_so he wouldn't have to worry about Hex so much...though he did still feel a bit on edge without the boy in his sight._   
_"Dad!"Error turned when he heard the familiar voice and looked in the direction where it had come from,_   
_and spotted Hex not too far away from him,carrying something._   
_**"What's up kid?"** He asked as he walked over,the boy looked up at him and grinned,holding up a fluffy white cat._   
_"Can i keep it?!Please!"he asked,Error recognised the cat as this AU's Sans,as all monsters in this world were cats of some sort._   
_**"No,it's just a glitch like the rest of them."** He said and summoned another blaster when he spotted a group of people and cats try to get past them,the blaster charged and shot at the group before they got too far away._   
_Hex pouted and held the cat tighter._   
_"But i wanna keep it!It's cute and fluffy,pleaseee?"The boy pleaded and looked up at Error with big puppy eyes._   
_Error groaned and looked to the side,trying to resist._   
_He made the mistake of glancing back at Hex to see if he'd stopped,_   
_only to see the child was close to tears._   
_**"Ugh..fine,you can keep it."** _   
_Hex grinned and started cheering as he jumped around._   
_"Thanks dad,you're the best!"He said and hugged the older skeleton._   
_Error sighed and hugged him back._   
_**"But you're not getting anymore pets."** _   
_He did,because Error just couldn't say no._   
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Hex sat in the corner in his and Onyx's room as his life flashed before his eyes,  
his journal laid on the floor next to him.  
He was shaking slightly as he stared at the floor,practically hugging himself with the oversized black jacket.  
There were more voices coming from downstairs now,his mom and Fell had probably come back,  
the twins would show Onyx to them and tell them what had happened...  
The boy hoped Onyx would be okay,he knew the toddler was weak and sickly,he was fragile...so fragile...  
But it was just a small hope.Besides,even if Onyx somehow survived after what happened,  
there was no way things would be the same again...  
Onyx would be afraid of him now,just like everyone else.  
He'd start shaking and crying if he saw him...trying to hide behind his parents and sisters,telling him to get away.  
Sarah would probably be the same,while Sasha and Fell would be ready to attack him if he even looked anyone wrong.  
His mom...he'd make that same face he did when Hex had killed Papyrus in front of him.  
There was no way they would show him mercy after this...he'd either be executed or be send back to Limbo and never be let out again.  
And Hex wasn't sure which he was more afraid of now,dying...or being abandoned again...  
  
If only his dad was there.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect the next chapter soonish!


	9. The Choice

Swap rushed over to his daughters and youngest son when he saw the latter's condition. "Onyx! Oh stars. What happened?" He asked the girls as he gently took the toddler into his arms and started to heal him.

"What happened is that Hex tried to murder him!" Sasha replied. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"What? No. Hex wouldn't do something like that."

"I saw him squeezing Onyx's soul while choking him!" Fell's eyes instantly blazed with angry red flames as his magic spiked up.

"That little piece of shi-" He grunted as his soul turned blue and fell to one knee, then looked over at his mate.

"You will NOT harm Hex." Swap said as he glared at him, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Take Onyx to the hospital and take the girls with you. I'll talk to Hex and see if I can figure out what really happened." The blue-eyed skeleton told his mate as he released his soul-mode and stood up, then handed Onyx over. Fell reluctantly nodded and took the boy from his mom.

"Come on girls. Let's get your brother to the hospital." They nodded and the four of them quickly headed to the garage while Swap went upstairs. He stopped outside of his sons' room and took a deep breath before knocking.

"Hex? Sweetie, it's me. May I come in?" There was a moment of silence before he heard the click of the lock and opened the door. "Oh sweetie...." Swap felt his soul ache when he saw his eldest son curled up in the corner and walked over to him, then sat down before pulling him into a hug. He could feel Hex shaking and gently rubbed his back as he held the young skeleton close, murmuring soothing words to help calm him down.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Hex said as he tightly held onto his mom's shirt. "I didn't mean to hurt him! I just....I just don't know what came over me!"

"I know sweetie. I know."

"....please don't abandon me again." Swap held him even tighter as he wrapped his arms around his son.

"I won't. I promise. I won't ever leave you like that again. You're safe now." The blue-eyed skeleton told him as a couple tears trickled down his cheeks. He could still remember that day clearly, almost thirteen and a ha- wait.... "Hex, how old are you currently?" Said skeleton pulled back and looked up at him with a confused expression.

"Thirteen, going on fourteen. Why?" Swap smiled and began to chuckle a little, now finally understanding why Hex's mood had changed.

"You've hit puberty. That's why you've been acting moody and getting mad more easily. You're becoming a teenager." The younger skeleton just stared at him in absolute confusion.

"....what?" He asked, as he didn't understand what his mom was talking about.

"Oh, sorry." Swap said, then explained to him about what it meant to hit puberty and become a teenager. By the end of it, Hex felt like he had more questions than answers, but it did explain a few things. Like his sudden desire to start killing things again. Speaking of which...

".....is Onyx going to be okay?" The young teen asked him. Swap hesitated as he looked down.

"I'm....not sure. Onyx's soul is still frail from when he was born, though he has gotten a bit stronger. We just have to wait and see what the doctors say." Hex nodded and curled up again. He would never admit it out loud, but he was actually scared. Scared that he might lose his little brother, whom he actually cared about. Scared that Onyx would be scared of him and want him to go away. "Do you want to come with me to go check on Onyx?" Swap asked.

".....yeah." He replied and sat up as he wiped away any lingering tears he had, then got to his feet. Swap stood up as well and both of them got into the other car, then headed to the hospital.

* * *

Onyx let out a quiet groan as he slowly began to regain consciousness. He could make out familiar voices saying his name as he opened his eyes, then saw his sisters and dad standing over him. "D....daddy? Sarah? Sasha?" The boy quietly called out. They let out sighs of relief when they saw that he was okay.

"Yeah. It's us, kiddo." His dad replied.

"Where am I?"

".....in the hospital." Onyx looked up at him and frowned slightly.

"The hospital?" Fell nodded.

"Do....do you remember what happened?" The boy blinked and looked down as he tried to remember.

"Um....I...I think so? I remember Sarah and Sasha going with Aunt Rose over to her house for something and writing in my little book, then.....it's really fuzzy after that." He replied, then looked up at them when there was silence and felt a little confused.

"Hex nearly killed you!" Sasha shouted, unable to hold her anger in any longer. His eyes widened in shock at her words.

"Wh....what?"

"I saw it with my own eyes. He was strangling you while trying to crush your soul." Onyx stared at her with eyes wide with shock, disbelief, and fear.

"N....no....B-Big Brother wouldn't do that.....would he?" That last part was mostly to himself as he looked down at his hands, which were shaking a little as he trembled, and suddenly remembered what had happened.

* * *

"I told you he was trouble. I knew it from the moment he set foot in the house." Sasha said as she crossed her arms and started ranting. Sarah frowned as she listened to her sister, the looked over her shoulder as the door opened.

"Mom!" The other three looked over at the said skeleton, then went stiff when they saw Hex. Swap gave Fell and Sasha a warning glare as he walked in with his eldest son.

"Hex wanted to check up on Onyx with me." He told them as they walked over to the bed. Hex looked at his little brother and noticed the shaking and look in the younger skeleton's eyes. The teenager took a deep breath to calm himself down and gather his thoughts, then opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. He could feel Sasha's glare burning into the back of his skull and Fell's anger radiating off of him. "....why don't we give them some time alone for a bit?" Swap suggested.

"And give him a chance to finish what he started? No way!" Sasha said as she narrowed her eyes at her half-brother. "I'm staying put."

"Sasha Sans..." Said skeleton flinched when she heard her mom use the "voice" while saying her full name.

".....fine." She muttered and reluctantly followed her parents and sister out of the room. Hex sighed and sat down, suddenly feeling a little tired as he leaned forward and rubbed his face. Both of them sat there in silence, neither of them really knowing what to say. Finally, Hex worked up the courage to say something.

"You, uh....doing okay?" He asked, glancing up at Onyx, who hesitated a bit before nodding. The teenager felt like a small weight had been lifted off of him....relief maybe? "That's...good, I suppose." Another nod and silence.

".......why did you try to kill me?" Hex looked up at him for a moment, surprised by the question, then lowered his gaze.

"It's.....complicated. I'm not sure if you'd be able to understand, but I guess it doesn't matter so I might as well tell you....about my life..."

* * *

Onyx listened as his brother told him about his life growing up in the Anti-void with just his dad, how it had just been the two of them and his various pets. When Hex was finished, Onyx wasn't sure how to feel. His mom and dad had always told his sisters that killing things was wrong and that they should never fight with the intent to kill, cause that was what really bad people did and really bad people went to jail. Hex had killed a lot of people, meaning that he was a really bad person. But.....

His brother didn't act like a really bad person. He'd been nice to him during the time he'd been living with them. Hex let him try things and do stuff on his own, even played with him a lot and would take him outside to play. He didn't treat him like his sisters did, and he really liked that.

Onyx looked down at his hands again.

#### [FORGIVE]

#### [DO NOT FORGIVE]

**Author's Note:**

> Hex belongs to my beta-reader Miiv12  
> Sarah and Sasha belong to ShinySmeargle, who edits Error's dialogue so it sounds glitchy  
> Onyx belongs to me.
> 
> You can find all three of us on Deviantart.


End file.
